Livestock farmer jailed for 20 years in copper cauldron case

Andre Mornix will spend the next 20 years of his existence behind bars.{{more}}

The South Union resident was on Friday, December 6, sentenced to 20 years by the High Court on a charge of murder.

He was convicted of the murder of 25-year-old Desmond Lowman of Georgetown on December 23, 2011, at the Rabacca Mountains.

During the trial at the High Court, prosecution witness Desmond John told the court that on the day of the incident, he was with Mornix and some of his workers on Mornix’s farm slaughtering animals for the Christmas season.

John said that at about 9 a.m., Mornix instructed two of his workers to light a fire underneath a copper cauldron, into which they were going to place the slaughtered animals.

John, who was initially charged with Mornix and later had the charge withdrawn at the Preliminary Inquiry, stated that after the fire had died down, one of the workers went in search of wood to replenish the fire.

John said when the worker returned, he told Mornix that he saw Lowman at the Dry River.

At about 2 p.m., John said the deceased came to where they were and told Mornix that some of his animals were down at the river and some appeared to be dead. Mornix then accused Lowman of stealing his sheep. John said Mornix then took the accused down to where the animals were, placed a cutlass at his neck and threatened to kill him for his sheep.

The deceased was then brought back to the farm, where his hands were then tied behind his back, as instructed by Mornix.

John recounted that Lowman was placed under a shed to sit and then Mornix held onto the deceased and demanded that he tell him the truth or threatened that he would throw him in the copper cauldron filled with boiling water.

John said Mornix made good on this threat. He noted that some of the boiling water spilled and burned Mornix on his feet.

John said Lowman then rolled out of the copper cauldron and pleaded with the men for some water to drink, which John gave to him. Mornix was, however, against Lowman’s wishes, the witness said.

John said Mornix then telephoned the Georgetown Police Station and told them that he met the deceased stealing his sheep. On arrival at the scene, police met the deceased with his hands still tied behind his back and burn marks about his body.

When the police questioned the deceased about what had taken place, he said he had been thrown into the copper cauldron by the men.

Mornix and the other men interjected and asked, “Anybody throw you in copper?”

Lowman replied, “Oh sorry, sorry, ah fall down in the copper.”

The deceased was then transported to the Georgetown Police Station and then to the Georgetown Hospital where he subsequently died.

Henley Byron, another man intially charged jointly with Mornix, also testified in the matter.

Another prosecution witness, Kent Phillips, said he assisted in tying the hands of the deceased.

Mornix did not take the stand. He was represented by Jomo Thomas and Al Elliot of St Lucia. (KW)