BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THREE men are currently on trial for armed robbery that occurred in Halfway Tree, where the perpetrators escaped with over EC$2 000.
Exzavier Elliott, Jervain Rawlins and Phillip Jones are all facing two counts of armed robbery charges and each of them is also charged with assault with intent to rob.
The incidents occurred on July 5, 2010 when the three men, allegedly armed with a firearm, robbed Tamar Southwell a driver of O.D. Brisbane (ODB), and Michael Arthurton, a porter of ODB.
Tamar Southwell was robbed while he was on his delivery route, of EC$2,225.55, which he had collected on behalf of ODB, and of EC$90 of his own money. Michael Arthurton was robbed of EC$10.
Elliott, Rawlins and Jones were also each charged with assault with intent to rob Jeneve Evans also on the same date and location.
The prosecution team is being led by Rhonda Nisbett-Browne who told the court that they anticipate having 11 witnesses to give evidence in the matter.
The three accused are all representing themselves.
At yesterday’s trial it was revealed that the incident occurred sometime around 1:00 p.m. when the ODB Fruta Truck which sells various items including beverages made a stop at Lionel Rogers’ shop in Halfway Tree.
Two of the accused, who were said to be wearing masks, allegedly entered the shop and robbed Southwell and Arthurton, while the other stood on the outside keeping watch.
After the robbery, the three men were said to have left in a vehicle headed in the Godwin Ghut direction and reports were made to the Old Road and Sandy Point Police Stations.
The police, on their way to the crime scene saw a white vehicle pass them fitting the given description of the robbers’ getaway vehicle, and began following the vehicle, whereupon a chase ensued and the police caught up with them at Franklands.
Rupert Phipps, a businessman and owner of a Car Rental company in Tabernacle, was the first witness to be called and said that he remembered renting a white Chevy Cavalier R305 to Jones early July.
He said that because Jones is his next door neighbor he did not see the need to make a record of him renting the vehicle to Jones.
Phipps said the vehicle was never returned.
Rogers in his testimony told the court that he was in his shop serving the Brisbane workers when the incident occurred.
The second witness said one of the robbers told one of the workers to “give me the money, give me the money” and was searching him.
He was also unsure of whether the robbers were given money by the victims and said that he was frightened during the ordeal.
He said that after the incident he went into his bedroom and saw a white rental car heading to Basseterre but was unable to identify the persons.
When it was time to cross examine the witness, the three accused each asked Rogers if he saw them on July 5, 2010 and if he identified them to be any of the robbers to which he responded “no” to both questions.
Rawlins asked Rogers if he knew who the robbers were and also if he knew the brand of the vehicle or license plate to which the witness responded “no” for both questions.
The case will continue with testimonies from more prosecution witnesses and after they rest their case, the accused men will be given the opportunity to give evidence under oath, speak from the prisoner’s dock or stay in the dock and say nothing.
