BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER hearing evidence from 11 prosecution witnesses, the jury empanelled to try the case of Verlyn Zakers, yesterday (July 21) heard her side of the events which led to her arrest and indictment.
The prosecution, which is being led by Reynold Benjamin, is hoping to prove that Zakers, on June 12, 2008 by way of the Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, illegally imported ammunition, illegally imported firearms, was in possession of firearms and was in possession of ammunition.
At the close of the prosecution’s case yesterday, Zakers took the stand and denied having any knowledge that firearms, ammunition and accompanying magazines were in the packages which she went to collect.
The accused said she met an individual by the name of Jaizon ‘Pele’ Zakers on a social network through a friend, and they met for the first time when he came to St. Kitts. While he was in St. Kitts, Vernlyn explained, she showed him around and he said he felt he owed her a favour. She said he inquired of her needs and she said she had none. However, she continued, sometime later she told him that he could send a bike for her daughter.
Zakers said about three hours later she received a call from Jaizon indicating that he sent “the stuff”, and when she inquired about what the “stuff” was, he told her that he sent two bicycles, one for her daughter, one for her brother and an inflatable pool for his niece, which someone was to have collected.
Sometime later, as the accused explained, she received a call from her mother which led her to collecting an airway bill from her the following day. She said, having reported for work that day, she received another call from Jaizon who said he would “send one of his friends to collect the paper for him to go and clear the stuff.
“In about an hour’s time, the fellow arrived at the office and told me his name was Jeremiah and Jaizon had sent him for the paper to go and clear the stuff. I was not busy at the moment, so I told him since he had trans I will come and clear them myself. I did not know him before.”
The accused said he drove her to the airport but he did not accompany her inside.
“I went inside the Customs place to clear stuff…Then I was approached by Aiesha Charles…I needed help so I told her I came to clear some stuff and she took me to a desk on the left hand side to sign a book. I signed the book.”
Zakers said she and Charles went to the FedEx room to retrieve the three packages, which were then placed on the examination counter.
“She then took the pool out of the box. I asked her if she would be able to get the pool back in when she is done. She said yes….She began to search it. There were two black (packages). She took them out of the plastic and asked me what was inside. I replied to her, ‘I don’t know; must be parts for the pool.’ She then opened the black object and said, ‘Parts for the pool?’ She then told me they were ammunition and that she will have to call her supervisor.”
The young woman told the court that she asked the Customs Officer for permission to go outside and get the individual who brought her to the airport to clear the items, which was granted.
“After I reach outside, I told the fellow that the lady inside said she found ammunition in the pool and that I was going back inside because she said I would have to talk to the supervisor. Then when I was inside…I realised that the fellow did not come inside, so I asked her if I can go and call the fellow and she told me yes. I did and when I got outside the fellow was not there. So I went back inside and told her that the fellow was not outside there.”
The accused told the court that other Customs Officers, as well as police officers, were called to the scene, the other boxes were searched and the guns, ammunition and she were taken into police custody. She explained that during the process of searching, when asked, she indicated that the packages were sent by Jaizon Zakers and they were coming from Tampa, Florida. Zakers told the court that she was also asked why the airway bill bore the name Jason Thompson and not Jaizon Zakers.
“I told him [the officer] that I had asked him [Jaizon] why Thompson was on the paper and he replied and said when he was sending the goods, the only ID he had on him had on Thompson, which is his father’s title.”
Zakers told the court that she next saw Jeremiah, whom she understands to be Delvin Benjamin, when she was in custody. She explained that he went into the Basseterre Police Station and was talking to a particular police officer and, when she recognised him, she alerted another police officer. However, when by the time the police officer was in a position to confront him, the man had already left the station.
The accused said she made no attempts to contact Jaizon since the incident occurred because the police did on numerous occasions and all were unsuccessful.
A total of six guns, 400 rounds of ammunition and magazines were found in the packages. However, Zakers adamantly denied having any knowledge of the contents of the packages outside of the two bicycles and the inflatable pool.
Today, the defence team, which comprises Vincent Warner and Dr. Henry Browne, and the prosecution will present closing statements to the jury which will be followed by a summation of the evidence by His Lordship Justice Francis Belle.
The jury is expected to retire for deliberations today.
