2014 BCK Student of the Year back in news

Back in 2014, Alana Hudson made headlines when she graduated from the Bishop’s College Kingstown (BCK) as the Student of the Year.

Now, three years later, Hudson is back in the news, but this time around, it isn’t for anything that glamorous. She has been charged with murder, a murder that many have described as one of the most gruesome that has ever taken place in St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG).

On Wednesday, Hudson, a secretary of Campden Park/New Montrose, Twanecia Ollivierre, unemployed, of Chapmans and Taylor Mofford, unemployed, of Belmont, appeared at the Serious Offences Court, charged that on September 4 at Fair Hall, they, with malice aforethought caused the death of Simonia DaSilva by an unlawful act.

It is alleged that Simonia was attacked by an angry mob that held her down and stabbed her at least four times. The 23-year-old died in her mother’s arms while being transported to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) sometime between 11 p.m. last Sunday, September 3 and 12.30 a.m. Monday, September 4.  

On Wednesday, Hudson, 19, Ollivierre, 19, and Mofford, 18, entered the courtroom while several family members and well-wishers waited outside or sat inside. At one point, as Hudson sat on a chair inside the crowded courtroom, tears flowing from her eyes.

Later, as the trio was called into the box by Chief Magistrate Rechanne Browne-Matthias, they huddled together in the tiny space. Looking up, Browne-Matthias bellowed, “Give yourself some personal space,” which seemed to have startled the young ladies, who immediately made better use of the space available to them.

After identifying themselves to the Chief Magistrate, the women heard that they were remanded until December 7, 2017, at which time the preliminary inquiry into the murder is expected to begin.

Prosecutor Adolphus Delpesche revealed that investigators have pointed to 26 witnesses so far and asked for three months in the first instance to get ready for trial.

The women are being represented by lawyer Ronnie Marks.

Marks, addressing the court, told Browne-Matthias that he has a problem in the way the media has been reporting on the incident, which is the 24th murder for 2017. He said that journalists must be careful how they report on the case going forward and if this is not done, he fears that the teenagers may not have a fair trial. Marks mentioned tainting of the jury pool. Browne-Matthias noted the lawyer’s concerns.

During the court proceedings, weeping could be heard from the corridor and Browne-Matthias asked that it be brought under control. “Train your people so you won’t have to cry in the court. I’m not running a nursery here. No weeping in here; this is not your home,” Browne-Matthias commented.

As the girls were escorted from the court room, they covered their faces, as journalists began taking photographs. A female friend blew a kiss to one of the accused as she was being placed inside the police transportation, while someone shouted, “Why aryo hiding aryo face for? Aryo done do the crime.”

As they were being whisked away to jail, family members stood crying in the court yard, probably wondering just what had happened to bring them to that place.

In the case of Hudson, just three years ago, in addition to being Student of the Year, she took home the awards for top student in Geography, Office Administration and Electronic Document Preparation & Management (EDPM).

Hudson, who wrote 10 CSEC subjects, told SEARCHLIGHT in 2014 that she was waiting to see what the future holds for her. “I am confident in my abilities, but we just have to wait and see what the future holds for me,” she chuckled.