BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE long-awaited murder trial involving five young men charged with the killing of the then 20-year-old Gregory Zakers has been put on pause for one week.
The men, Nelson Challenger, Shenroy Francis, Jomi Rawlins, Glenroy Smithen and Moses Gardener, are said to have murdered Zakers sometime between April 10 and 12, 2008.
The matter officially began last Tuesday (Mar. 11) and so far some six witnesses have already given evidence on behalf of the prosecution.
Included in the number of witnesses was Zakers' mother, who told the Court that she last saw her son on April 10, 2008. She said he left home at around 5:45 p.m. but not return.
Forensic Pathologist Dr. Stephen Jones, who performed the post-mortem on Zakers’ remains, had testified that he died as a result of "severe traumatic head injury" caused by severe blunt force.
One witness said she saw one of the accused men beating something or someone in a yard in St. Paul’s on the night Zakers was last seen alive, while another said he saw the deceased's cellular phone on a chest of drawers inside a house.
This week, the matter was engaged in a voir dire, which is a trial within a trial, in the absence of the jury to determine how the case would continue with regards to certain witnesses.
The accused men are being represented by different attorneys.
Challenger is being represented by Hon. Robelto Hector, Francis by Fitzroy Eddy, Rawlins by John Cato, Smithen by Natasha Grey and Gardener is being represented by Chesley Hamilton.
Leading the prosecution team is Director of Public Prosecutions Travers Sinanan with the assistance of O'Neil Simpson, while His Lordship Justice Darshan Ramdhani is presiding over the matter.
The trial is scheduled to continue on Monday (Mar. 31) at the Basseterre High Court.
