Murder accused not yet identified as trigger man by witnesses

None of the four prosecution witnesses who have been called so far to testify in the murder case of Ashley ‘Seymour’ Warren, has identified the accused, Colin David, as being the trigger man.{{more}}

David, a resident of Long Wall, is currently on trial at the High Court for the murder of Warren, which took place on January 22, 2009, at Long Wall.

He is also charged with possession of a firearm and unlawful use of a firearm.

Warren, a fruit vendor, succumbed to a single bullet to his neck, after leaving his fruit stall at Tokyo to carry out a transaction at Long Wall.

The case, which commenced on Wednesday, November 21, heard testimony from Long Wall resident Oswald Matthews.

Matthews told the court that he was at home when he saw the accused and a man going by the moniker of ‘Supercat’, sitting on the stone, just opposite where he is living.

Matthews testified that he was looking through his window when he saw David and Supercat. He said he heard the accused talking on his cellular phone, giving someone directions to come and meet him.

He said a tinted, dark green vehicle came to the area, and after Warren alighted from the vehicle, David approached him and spoke to him.

“He told the driver (Warren) that the guys at the back with the greens…,” Matthews said.

Matthews told the court that he understood the term “greens” to mean fruit or vegetables.

The witness said he saw the deceased walk up through a dirt track, not too far from his house.

“It was just the driver who went up the track and David left Town Hill way.”

The man testified that he did not see Supercat after David left.

“I went to the living room and watched him (David) going up Town Hill. As he was going up Town Hill, I heard a gunshot. I saw the driver running coming from the short cut (track) holding his neck and got into his car and drive off…,” Matthews recounted.

The witness testified that he saw Supercat running from the shortcut with a red and white bandana over his face. He said Supercat hid behind a pink house, which was close to where he lived.

“I opened the door and say ‘Alyo done shoot the man. Way yuh running for?…’ After I saw Supercat, I saw David coming down the hill (Town Hill) and he said, ‘ hope is not my brother who get shoot dey’…”

Under cross examination, David’s counsel, Kay Bacchus-Browne, put it to Matthews that he said that Supercat was wearing a pair of blue, three quarter length pants and appeared as if he had something in his pocket.

Matthews confirmed that that was true.

In continuing cross-examination, Matthews told the court that he saw Supercat run down the track after the injured Warren left in his car.

Another witness for the prosecution, Campden Park resident Victor Simmons told the court that he was liming in Tokyo that day when he got in Warren’s car and drove to Long Wall at about 11 a.m.

The 20-year-old said when they got to Long Wall, he was sitting in the car when Warren told him not to move and that he was “coming back”.

“Warren got out, went around the car and I saw him facing a gap…,”

Before they arrived at their destination, while in the car, Simmons said Warren had a telephone conversation with someone, but he was not sure if Warren made or received the call.

“When he come out the vehicle, he left his phone. He shout out from by the gap and then someone came and knock on the glass. I wind down the glass and passed the phone to the person,” Simmons added.

A few minutes later, Simmons said he heard a gunshot and then saw Warren running to the car from the same gap.

“He come to the car and sit in the driver seat, bleeding. I saw blood coming from the neck area. He start driving the car towards Cane Garden…,”

While in the car, Simmons stated that Warren did not say anything to him nor did he ask what was wrong.

“Like he couldn’t make it, so I slide him over in my seat and I pull down the hand brake and drove towards Sion Hill,” Simmons recalled.

Simmons, who told the court that he had never driven a vehicle before that day, said he had a difficult time handling the vehicle and that one of the tyres was punctured en route to Kingstown.

“I drive up ‘pon the side wall all thing and the vehicle get hit. I struggle with the car and when I reach by KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken), the wheel start coming off and sparks started flying… I drive it to the police station because it could not go anymore,” he testified.

Warren was subsequently taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital where he succumbed to his injury.

Two other witnesses gave testimony in the matter, including Selita Francois and David’s sister, Samatha David.

The trial continues at the High Court with Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams leading the case for the crown and judge Frederick Bruce-Lyle presiding.(KW)