‘Jambo’ on trial for grievous bodily harm
By Terresa McCall
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
~~Adz:Right~~ BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – “THEY jumped up across the table, grabbed my throat and pushed me backwards…” This was the testimony of Wendy Lechner, the woman upon whom Franz ‘Jambo’ Stevens is accused of inflicting grievous bodily harm.
Stevens’ trial began yesterday morning at the Basseterre High Court as he was arrested and charged with committing the offence against Wendy Lechner.
According to Lechner’s evidence, on May 24, 2007, she, her sister and Stevens (who were all business partners) along with Steven’s cousin, met at their restaurant (Jambo’s) to discuss what she thought was his interest in buying them out of their share of the business.
She explained to the court that while in the meeting, she and her sister were handed a letter from Steven’s attorney requesting EC$150 000 in exchange for his share in the business. The proposal was refused and, according to Lechner, things began getting out of hand.
“My sister said absolutely no. He had not put any money into the business and was getting a salary the entire time…Mr. Stevens got very upset and started waving his hands and shouting. We shouted back. We continued shouting and he was waving his hands at me. I grabbed the tip of his thumb to get his attention.”
As the victim explained, that was when Stevens grabbed her by the throat and shoved her, at which point her sister requested that he leave the premises.
“Gradually we worked our way out the restaurant…He stopped near the door and the argument go louder again. He was shaking his hands in my face and hit my lips and I bit him…He jerked back his hand…He got very upset, looked me in the eye and grabbed a wooden chair and he picked up the chair and swung it at my head.”
Seeking to shield her head from the blow, Lechner explained that she placed her hands in the way of the oncoming chair.
“I put my hands up to protect my head and it shattered my wrist; my left wrist. It knocked me back and I fell on my bottom. I fell about 10 or 11 feet away.”
Having her cellular phone in her pocket, Lechner dialled 911 for assistance. While doing so, Lechner explained, she saw Stevens throw a hammer next to her sister, at which point he was again ordered to leave. After leaving the building, Lechner’s sister locked the door.
“Very shortly” after, a police constable arrived on the scene and summoned the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) which took the injured woman to the Joseph N. France (JNF) General Hospital.
Lechner told the court that after the incident, a couple of attempts were made to set the broken wrist but they were unsuccessful. She said she had to undergo surgery in the United States of America where six pins and a blade were placed in her hand.
While some improvement has been seen, Lechner noted that there is still an approximate 25 percent disability in her wrist.
The testimony of Lorraine Lechner corroborated her sister’s and she explained after Stevens struck Wendy with the chair and after she demanded that he leave the premises, she caught sight of a hammer that was in a nearby area.
She said that fearing Stevens would use it to attack her, she took the hammer with the intention of hiding it. She further explained that Stevens observed this and wrestled the hammer away from her, brandished it in her face and flung it in a corner of the room.
Testimony was also heard from Constable Simeon Liburd, the officer who responded to the distress call placed by Wendy on that day and who investigated the matter.
The case continues today with the Prosecution calling its final witness in the person of Dr. Cameron Wilkinson, after which it would close its case.
Stevens would be allowed the opportunity to call witnesses on his behalf and take the witness stand, if he chooses to do so.
If convicted, he can face up to two years imprisonment.
