Barbadian awaits fate in murder trial

The future hangs in the balance for murder accused Anderson Williams as the curtains slowly descend on his murder trial at the High Court.{{more}}

Williams, 27, of St James, Barbados, stands accused of the murder of Seon Baptiste on March 1, 2007, at Ottley Hall. A post mortem revealed that Baptiste died from a single gunshot wound to his chest.

Following his apprehension on August 1, 2007, in Chateaubelair, Williams, in a statement given to the police, admitted to shooting Baptiste that tragic morning.

In the statement read out in court on Tuesday, Williams told police officer Sergeant 222 Selwyn Jack that the deceased had been in the habit of harassing him and calling him foul names while he (Williams) was living in the area. On that fateful day, Williams said that he went to “Gary’s shop” where he was accosted by the Baptiste. The accused said Baptiste brandished a gun and said: “Think is alyo alone geh gun.” Williams said he then pulled out a gun from his pants and shot Baptiste. The lanky lad, who revealed that he came to these shores to plant marijuana, said he went back to Grenada before returning to St Vincent, whereupon he went to Chateaubelair.

Prosecution witness Kamarley Edward told the court that he was sitting on a wall with some other persons that morning close to where Baptiste met his death. The 18-year-old Ottley Hall resident told the court that he saw when the deceased entered “Gary’s Shop”. Not too long after, he said he heard a gunshot. “I hear a gunshot buss and we jump off the wall and I see Seon spin and drop pon de ground,” the witness recalled.

Edwards said he saw someone running from the shop with a gun in his hand, attempting to place it in his back pants pocket. “I see he run go up by de public bath side and me ain’t see him agen.” Later in his evidence, Edwards identified Williams as the man he saw running with the gun. He told the court that he had seen the accused earlier that morning on the block dressed in a brown jersey, blue pants and a pair of Timberland Boots.

Under cross-examination, Williams’ attorney, Nicole Sylvester, told Edwards that he ran and took a gun from Baptiste’s pocket, but never turned it over to the police. Edwards admitted to this. The witness said that he went to the same public bath where two men took the gun from him.

In his evidence in chief, Corporal Malcolm Alexander stated that they apprehended the accused next to a sink at the back of the home of Roy Frederick. Alexander said a tussle ensued between him and the accused. The police officer said he had to hit the accused several times since he was acting in an aggressive manner. Alexander told the court he had to seek the assistance of other villagers in detaining Williams.

Justice Gertel Thom presides over the matter, while Director of Public Prosecutions Collin Williams leads the case for the crown.

The matter continues at the High Court. (KW)