It took 18 minutes to pick a jury, hear a witness and find two men not guilty of grievous bodily harm in Supreme Court yesterday.

Kenneth David Anthony Hill, 35, of Devonshire and Zekristos Lee, 24, of Warwick were found not guilty of wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm to Phillip Dwayne Doars on November 26 last year.

Crown counsel Anthony Blackman said the reason for the speedy trial was that the man they were charged with beating up was no longer on the Island.

?The Crown is not going to offer any evidence because the virtual complainant is not in Bermuda,? Mr. Blackman said.

He alleged that the pair had an arrangement with Mr. Doars ?to do certain things for them in Jamaica? and gave him ?certain articles? to take to that country.

However, he said that on his way to the Caribbean, Mr. Doars lost his luggage and upon his return back to Bermuda, he explained to them that he could not deliver the articles.

?As you can imagine, they were not very pleased about that,? Mr. Blackman said.

Mr. Blackman alleged ? although he offered no proof yesterday ? that Mr. Doars later had his arm broken by the pair.

The detective in charge of the case testified that Mr. Doars went back to Kingston on January 8, 2004.

He was due to return a week later, but never came back and, despite Police investigations with the complainant?s mother, he could not be reached.

Acting Supreme Court Justice Carlisle Greaves then ordered the eight-woman, four-man jury to find the pair not guilty, because ?no one could be convicted on such little evidence?.

Mr. Justice Greaves asked Mr. Blackman: ?What was it that this fellow was supposed to be taking to Jamaica??

But Mr. Blackman would only say it was ?certain items?.

After pushing further and getting the same reply, Mr. Justice Greaves asked: ?What, are we in the exporting business now??

The pair ? who were represented by Mark Pettingill ? were allowed to leave the court as free men.