The 56-year-old Bermudian fugitive currently in custody in Jamaica and facing five counts of conspiracy to murder three Police officers and two other men, appeared for mention in the Half Way Tree Criminal Court in Jamaica last week.

Vernon Eugenie Berkley, who was living in Wilmington, St. Thomas, before being captured by members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team and the St. Thomas Police in Morant Bay two weeks ago, will remain in custody until his extradition to Bermuda sometime next month.

Besides the five counts of conspiracy to murder, he is also facing charges of conspiracy to obstruct, prevent and pervert or defeat the course of justice.

It was first reported that Berkley was Jamaican, but it was confirmed that he is Bermudian and is the third suspect in a matter arising from incidents on or around November 29 last year in which two other men, Kenneth Sinclair Durrant, 53, and Javon Ernest Gardner, 27, have already appeared in court.

Both Durrant and Gardner pleaded not guilty to the five counts of conspiracy to murder. The pair faced one count each of conspiracy to murder in relation to each of the five alleged intended victims ? Police Sgt. Arthur Glasford, P.c. Terry Trott, P.c. Llewellyn Edwards, Sharrieff Wales and Dion Ford.

In addition to the five counts of conspiracy to murder, Durrant of Ord Road, Warwick, and Gardner of Crossfield Lane, Sandys, also pleaded not guilty to attempting to defeat and pervert the course of justice. They are currently being held on remand until their trial begins on November 2.

A spokeswoman for the Director of Public Prosecutions in Bermuda said yesterday that their department had been asked to have the necessary paperwork ready for Berkley?s extradition, possibly by November 7.

Until then, she said, he would be kept in custody in Jamaica.