BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE manslaughter trial of Razba Matthew, who was charged with manslaughter for allegedly causing the shooting death of 14-year-old Stancia Lake, began today (June 27).
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 8, 2009, and it was reported that law enforcement officers responded to calls of a shooting incident at a home located at the corner of Wigley Avenue and Cayon Street.
The prosecution team is expected to call a total of 10 witnesses and is being led by Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Paulina Hendrickson, while Matthew, who was a juvenile at the time of the offense, is being represented by Attorney-At-Law Marsha Henderson.
This morning the jury heard evidence from Dr. Mervyn Laws, Stacy Belle and Dr. Stephen Jones.
Dr. Laws, who is the District Medical Officer for District One, said that the area where the offence occurred was not in his district but was filling in for a colleague.
Belle, the mother of the deceased, said that on the day of the incident her daughter was at home when she had left for work at approximately 3:00 p.m.
Belle said that she later received a call from her mother, and on arrival at the scene she saw her daughter’s body lying on the floor.
Barbadian Forensic Pathologist Dr. Jones told the court that on August 11, 2009 he had performed an autopsy on the deceased and found that death was due to a gunshot wound to the head.
The jury also heard the testimony of Justin Stevens, whose hair Lake was combing at the time she was killed.
Stevens said he had known Lake for about a year and it was only a week or two before her death they started speaking on a regular basis.
He said Lake went to his home with the intention of combing his hair and his twin brother and another friend were there at the time.
Stevens said he went to wash his hair and on return the deceased was plaiting the accused hair.
He noted that on completion, the accused got up from the floor and he took his place while Lake sat on the bed to comb his hair.
The case was adjourned until later in the afternoon when Stevens’ testimony will continue.
Lake was a student of the Basseterre High School and at the time of his arrest Matthew was residing in Lower Monkey Hill.
