BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A detailed account of what ended in the murder of Tau Gowan, kicked off the case of Bishu Isaac on Tuesday (Oct. 6), who was charged with that offence.
The Prosecution team, which comprises Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Paulina Hendrickson and Crown Counsel Rhonda Nisbett Browne, is endeavouring to prove that on the night of April 18, 2008, Isaac stabbed Gowan with a knife, which resulted in his death.
According to one eyewitnesses' testimony, he saw an altercation between Isaac and Gowan just prior to his death.
He told the court that at about 8:00 on the night in question, he was at a food stall, located at the south-western corner of Shear Lane and Central Streets, to purchase a piece of black pudding when the sound of loud voices caught his attention.
The eyewitness explained that while at the food stand, which is owned by Viola Maynard and operated by Akilah Hewlett, he observed both the accused and the deceased walking from Upper Shear Lane towards the area where he was, with the deceased making attempts to obstruct the path of the accused.
“While I was there, I heard a noise behind me where it sounded like someone was arguing. I turned around and saw two gentlemen coming from Upper Shear Land. One was trying to prevent the other from walking towards where I was. It happened for about three times while the accused was walking…I learnt that the gentleman’s name who was blocking him was Tau Gowan. During those times, the accused, in order to avoid colliding with him, walked around him. Both gentlemen got to the stand where the accused then approached the bench that is situated next to the stand, which is also on the top of the sidewalk.
“The accused sat on the bench while the other gentleman came on the sidewalk right in front of him, very close, and started making gestures as to hit him. The gentleman got so close to the accused that they touched and then the accused made a motion as in grabbing something from the table.”
The witness further explained that Gowan ran into Central Street and was followed by Isaac, and the confrontation continued.
“Gowan started throwing boxes and the accused made one swing at him, then Gowan turned and ran in the opposite direction,” the witness said. He further stated that Isaac returned to the food stand with a chrome object in his hands.
“When the accused reached the food stand, I noticed a chrome item in his hand that had a bit of blood at the tip. The young lady who was operating the stand at the time…told the accused not to even think about bringing back the knife. The accused went further into Lower Shear Lane. He had the knife with him.”
The witness noted that he next caught sight of Gowan shortly after while he lay in the road at the junction of Central and Market Streets in the vicinity of J. M. Plumbing.
The operator of the food stand, Akilah Hewlett, also told the court that she witnessed what occurred prior to Gowan’s death.
She explained that at one point, while both Isaac and Gowan were next in proximity to her food stand, she felt the stand rattle and did not recognise that the knife she uses to cut the black pudding was missing from the table until Isaac sought to return it.
“…After that, Bishu came and handed me a knife. When I looked I realised it’s the knife I had in my utensil bowl so I told him I didn’t want it. It had blood on it. I did not take the knife. He left with the knife. He went down the road; I don’t know exactly where.”
While being cross-examined by defence counsel Chesley Hamilton, Hewlett told the court that from what she recalled, Gowan was questioning Isaac about “a shirt” and uttered words to the effect: “See we have the open space. You aine want us get at it now?” She also explained that Isaac responded by repeatedly saying, “Boy leave me alone, boy. Boy move from behind me.”
The witness further noted that she saw nothing in Isaac’s hand during the altercation. However, no witness who claimed to have witnessed the incident said that they saw the accused stabbed Gowan.
The case against Isaac continued yesterday with other prosecution witnesses laying evidence before the jury. The defence is expected to present its case today.
