Forty six days after twins Jahmal and Jahmil Cooper were last seen on Court Street - and 15 days after their bodies were found at the foot of a high cliff in Hamilton Parish - two men have been charged with their murders.

Charges of causing grievous bodily harm to the 20-year-old twins were dropped against Kenneth Jermaine Burgess and Dennis Alma Robinson yesterday and Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner formally charged the pair with murder.

In a hearing that started before the usual plea court session, the men were charged with killing the Cooper twins on March 13 “in Devonshire” - the twins' bodies were found at the foot of Abbott's Cliff, Hamilton Parish.

“Neither of you are required to plea because the charge is indictable,” Mr. Warner added.

The accused men were also ordered to provide Police with another set of their fingerprints to assist with the murder investigation which is being supervised by Ch. Insp. Andrew Boyce.

Four uniformed officers surrounded Burgess and Robinson in the dock, while two more guarded the doors.

There were several other detectives in plainclothes present in the court.

Ch. Insp. Boyce sat next to the Cooper twins' mother, Rochelle Zuill Cooper, who appeared to be otherwise alone. No members of the public were allowed into the court.

Burgess, 33, of Cottage Hill Road, Hamilton Parish, and Robinson, 34, of Palm Valley, Southampton, were remanded in custody for another two weeks to appear for mention on May 11.

Ms Tyndale asked for a two-week adjournment because she said new papers needed to be served to the defence lawyers.

Burgess is represented by Mark Pettingill and while Victoria Pearman will be representing Robinson.