BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Prosecution in the Ourtic Gillard robbery trial has proven beyond reasonable doubt, that the young man did commit robbery against the Calypso Bay, Frigate Bay home of Dr. Larry Betance and his wife Katherine Pereira-Betance on October 10, 2007.
The jury that went into deliberation sometime after 11:00 a.m. returned with a guilty unanimous verdict sometime after 2:00 p.m.
His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas announced that he will be sentenced on October 20.
The prosecution team, led by Crown Counsel, Rhonda Nisbett-Browne, proved that on the date in question, Gillard, armed with a firearm robbed the Betances of a Kipling bag filled with a number of items including EC$40.00, a leather knife and a credit card holder all to the total value of EC$15,65.00.
The bag was later found at the scene and given to the police by Larry Betance.
A total of eight witnesses were called by the prosecution while the unrepresented Gillard chose to give evidence under oath after the prosecution had rested its case.
Larry Betance testified in court and said that he was at home at the time of the incident watching television when he heard their dog barking.
He went outside and a man was on the verandah who pointed a gun to his head.
Larry said he ran back inside, followed by the gunman. This alarmed his wife when she came out and saw the man pointing the gun at her husband’s head.
Katherine Betance reported that the man said, “Give me the money, give me the money,” and she replied that they did not have any money.
However, she told the court she tossed a Kipling bag to the intruder.
The husband said that the man rummaged through the bag and dropped it before he jumped over a railing and left.
He said he heard a car being driven off.
Larry said the criminal was wearing a dark coloured pant and hat, a camouflage jacket and a bandana that looked like it could be camouflage, across his mouth and nose.
He also said that he saw the criminal’s skin tone and eyes and that the man who sat in the prisoner’s dock was the person that came into his home.
Larry told the court that during the incident he was frightened for his life and still has sleeping problems.
“I will never forget his eyes,” said Katherine during her testimony.
She said that when she saw the criminal in her home, she asked him what he wanted.
“I was talking to that man,” she said pointing at the accused during her testimony at the High Court.
She told the court she recalled his build, his eyes, his dark skin and voice.
SKNVibes also learnt that sometime after 1:00 a.m. on Oct. 11, 2007, Gillard was apprehended at Janet Alley, in Basseterre.
Police officers testified in court and said that Gillard was found near a stolen vehicle that was seen being driven on West Bourne Ghaut.
A report had been previously made about the stolen vehicle that belonged to a defense force soldier.
Police officers identified Gillard dressed in the same clothing described by Larry, when they met him at Janet’s Alley.
However, the defense force jacket was not brought into evidence.
During his apprehension by the police, he was injured and the keys for the car were said to be next to him.
There were also some 9mm rounds of bullets found in the car.
Gillard however in his testimony, told the court that he did not have the keys for the car and did not go to the vehicle.
He also denied being at the residence and said that he was walking home at the time when he was ‘assaulted’ by police at the alley.
The case first ended in a mistrial at the January 2011 Criminal Assizes, after it was revealed that one of the jurors was employed at the same establishment as the virtual complainant, Larry Betance and the High Court deemed that information as prejudicial to the matter.
However, in this new trial, Gillard was convicted of the crime.
.JPG)