BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE final witness called by the prosecution this afternoon (Feb. 5) to give evidence in the kidnapping case of Larry and Gilda Vaughan was Corporal Consie Rogers, who told the Court that the number one accused, Jahmana ‘Skyjuice’ Walters, said he knew nothing of the incident.
Walters and his alleged accomplices Ali ‘Humble’ Percival, Clayton ‘Yellow’ Laws and Jermaine Riley are currently on trial at the Basseterre High Court for kidnapping the Vaughans on October 28, 2011.
Rogers will continue giving her evidence tomorrow (Feb. 6) as the Court had to be adjourned for the day, but before that said she had arrested Walters on October 29, 2011 in connection with the kidnapping.
The Policewoman told the Court that she spoke with Walters on the aforementioned date and told him she was making inquiries into his alleged kidnapping of the Vaughans.
She also told the Court that she cautioned him and he responded by saying, “I don’t know about the kidnap part, all I know is I was up the Park about one or two in the morning when I get a call from the other person. I get the key for the jeep from the other person, who say he don’t have a licence, and I went to pick up something for them to eat. I don’t know nothing, so I can’t talk.”
Before Rogers began her testimony, Jerry Watt of the Criminal Investigation Department read the statement Laws had given him during the time of his arrest.
Previously, Laws and Percival had objected to their statements being read in Court, but after making their arguments and listening to that of the prosecutor, His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas deemed the statements admissible.
Watt stated that Laws said in his statement that someone told him they wanted to borrow a jeep that was given to him to be fixed, and when he refused they threatened his daughters’ life.
Watt told the Court Laws claimed that the person said they had a job to do and he would get his cut, but he told the person that he did not want any part in it.
Both Percival and Riley, who are brothers, were found by members of the Police and Defence Forces in an unoccupied house on East Park Range with a number of firearms and Gilda Vaughan held in one of the bedrooms.
The vehicle that was given to Laws to be fixed by Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine Student Lauren Longley was allegedly used in the kidnapping and was reported missing.
There is much more evidence against Walters to be heard by the Court. And according to the statement he gave to the police, he had driven the vehicle during the time of the kidnapping “to get food”.
After the prosecution rests its case, the men will be given an opportunity to prove their innocence, as His Lordship will inform them of their options.
The trial began last Tuesday (Jan. 29).
