By: Suelika N. Buchanan
Editor-SKNVibes.com
 |
|
Kemba Swanston accompanied by police officer during the break for lunch. Photo by Suelika N. Buchanan/SKNVibes.com |
(Basseterre; St. Kitts) Four young men have already pleaded guilty to manslaughter as the fifth accused is still undergoing trial.
The prosecution believes that Kemba Swanston led the four other men in the brutal attack on Omni bus HA 77, resulting in the death of 28-year-old Dennis Trotman a.k.a. Ras J and the wounding of his brother Davin Henry.
Several witnesses have already testified on the prosecution's behalf including Henry who said that he saw Swanston with a knife that day.
On Monday, June, 2, 2003 after the bus drove up four-mile alley in Keys to drop off a passenger the bus was bombarded with stones and bottles as several young men attacked the bus and the two individuals.
Wednesday, October, 4, saw the remaining of the prosecutor's witnesses, except for Althea Bradley.
Emergency Technicians Desrie Welcome and Edmund Herbert testified and said that they were on duty when they received a call and went to Keys.
There they found Trotman with several stab wounds to his body and also Henry who had two lacerations.
The technicians said that the bus had a lot of blood on the floor and that Trotman did not have a pulse upon their arrival.
They took both of the victims to the hospital and handed them over to the doctor where they gave their assessment.
Beatrice Mills-Sutton of Keys and mother of Kurt and Kenneth Mills two accused who plead guilty to manslaughter of Trotman said that she saw Swanston when the incident occurred but did not see him with a knife.
During her cross-examination by Defense Lawyer Jason Hamilton she also said that she did not see him throwing any stones or bottles or stabbing anyone.
Franklin Thompson another witness for the prosecution also said that he did not see Swanston with a knife or any other weapon and was unsure if Swanston was one of the persons that were present on that day.
~~Adz:Right~~Burnell Grant a.k.a. Baboo of Lower Cayon brought light laughter to the court when he colourfully described the events of June 2, 2003.
However, Grant told the court that they should not laugh because it is a very serious matter.
He said that he jumped in the said bus from Basseterre to journey to his home in Cayon in what he thought to be a 'safe bus'.
"It was not, although the criminals were not in the bus, when we came to Keys a serious thing happen," he said.
Grant said that the 'serious thing' that occurred was the bus being attacked by some 'civil people' to which he cannot understand why.
"I saw an individual come by the door, when the bus stop and from then I knew this was a serious thing and I knew I had to get out of the bus," he said.
 |
|
Omni bus HA 77 that was attacked with bottles and stones, that smashed the windows. Photo by Suelika N. Buchanan/SKNVibes.com |
He also said that he watched from a distance as some young men at the mountain side threw stones and bottles at the bus.
He said that he can recognize one of the men but he was not in court today.
A few other testimonies by other witnesses gave evidence in connection with the 'no court appearance' of Dr Robert Garty.
Garty is a medical doctor who pronounced Trotman dead on the said date.
The court was adjourned until Thursday October, 5 at 9 a.m. where the prosecution will present their final witness.
Hamilton, defense lawyer for the accused told SKNVibes.com that his argument in the matter is that his client was in the area but did not attack the bus.
He also said that the prosecution's witnesses have been contradicting themselves.
"Some are saying they saw him that day, some say they didn't, some say they saw with a knife and some say they didn't he said.
The prosecution team is led by Director of Public Prosecution Paulina Hendrickson and Crown Counsels Simone Bullen and Janine Harris.
