By Suelika N. Buchanan
Editor-SKNVibes.com
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| Kemba Swanston was found guilty of murder yesterday Tuesday, October 10. |
(Basseterre; St. Kitts): A 23-year-old who grew up with no parents but a grandmother from the age of four was found guilty yesterday, Tuesday October 10 in the afternoon at 3:15 p.m.
Kemba Swanston of Keys Village was accused of murder in the first degree of Dennis Trotman and also for attempted murder of Trotman's brother Davin Henry on June 2, 2003.
After two hours of deliberation a jury of ten women and two men returned to the court room with the unanimous verdict.
Sentencing is set for October 30. His Lordship Justice Francis Belle said that he will also review a psychiatric and probation report of the convict.
As Swanston left the bench he told his father that everything is going to be okay and that everything is a struggle.
Before his verdict was heard he had told SKNVibes that he was innocent all the way but that he had to go through the procedure of being tried.
However, after his testimony last Thursday 7, it had appeared that there were some inconsistencies in the evidence he gave.
He stated in court that on the morning in question some time after 11 a.m. he left his home which was an alley away from four-mile alley where the murder occurred. He also said that as he walked up the road he saw a bus parked near the Skinnip Tree up the alley and a crowd of people looking on at something.
He said that he walked close to the bus and noticed that the back window was smashed and that a few other windows were broken. He also said that he saw the four other men who plead guilty to manslaughter going around the bus.
A few of the prosecution's witnesses testified in court and said that while Swanston was coming up the road they saw him picking up stones and bottles.
They also said that he joined in on the attack and Henry said that he saw Swanston with a weapon.
~~Adz:Right~~Jurors were taken to the scene of the murder on Monday October, 9, where a few witnesses were called in to recount what happened and their position on the day of June 2, 2003.
Crown Counsel Simone Bullen of the prosecution's team made a dramatic summation. She asked the jurors, "You actually believe that Swanston stood their and watched on as the murder occurred along with other witnesses?"
"The bus was first attacked by Leon Norford, Antwan Thompson, Kurt and Kenneth Mills and then Kemba joined in," she said. "The intentions of the men were to kill and Kemba joined in, in the attack, he agreed with the attack."
Then she also mentioned the fact that Swanston was not apprehended for the murder until August 17 where he was in hiding in Dieppe Bay.
"Members of the jury, if you have done nothing wrong why hide? Why evade the police?" she asked the jurors.
She continued: "The defense witnesses came in and said that Swanston was not apart of the attack and that he was just looking. But why did they wait until 2006 to say Kemba was not involved? Why did they take so long? The opportunity was there before 2006 but yet they didn't say anything."
Lawyer for the accused Jason Hamilton began his summation with a question he posed to the jurors to pay attention to.
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| Kemba waving to some of his supporters outside the courtroom yesterday Tuesday 10. All Photos by Suelika N. Buchanan |
"Which way it happen?" he said. "Some of the prosecution's evidence is saying Kemba was there when the incident started and some are saying he was there when it already started."
Hamilton said that the prosecution is giving conflicting evidence and that it is not for the defense to prove anything but for the prosecution to do so since they are the one accusing Swanston of murder.
"The prosecution would have you believe that witnesses saw Kemba with a knife," the defense lawyer said. "And these lot of stones that were thrown in the bus, the sergeant said she didn't remove anything from the bus so where are they?"
The Defense also said that the prosecution did not find blood or fingerprints of the accused and said that the reason why Swanston walked close to bus because he was playing 'fast'.
"He (Kemba) has nothing to prove, the prosecution has to prove that Kemba did what they are saying and that it happened the way they said it did," Hamilton said. "There is no evidence from the prosecution that would have one believe that there was any special connection between Kemba and the four others."
After the verdict Swanston's father who wished not to have his name stated said that he wasn't present for the entire case but was very disappointed with the verdict the jury returned.
Swanston said that he would appeal the matter.
"It was up to the jurors, but I'm not guilty all the way. That's life still, when people have to judge you," he said. "I felt that the case was in my favor and the four guys who did the crime came in and say I wasn't apart of it so I don't understand, it's unfair."
Swanston also said that he had planned to get into the music world because he enjoys singing.
He can be heard singing quietly in the court before the court is in session each day, to pursue his singing was what he really wanted to do.
"But now I got to chill back, I grew up with my grandmother and I've already been through a lot, but I have no fear, everything happens for a reason, but I'm going to appeal this."
