Trevor Williams, who was charged with shooting a man dead in 2013, was yesterday freed of the charge, after Justice Navindra Singh upheld a no-case submission.
It was alleged that Williams, of Kamwatta, Aruka River, on April 4, 2013, at Bruck Up Landing, North West District, unlawfully killed Randy Raphael.
Justice Singh empanelled a jury yesterday, which resulted in five witnesses giving testimony on the matter.
The state’s case was prosecuted by Tariq Mohamed, Tuanna Hardy and Abigail Gibbs, while the accused was represented by attorney Mark Conway.
During the trial, the prosecution called Eula Raphael, the mother of the deceased; his sister, Marva Raphael; Shawn Fredericks, a friend of both the deceased and the accused; along with Police Corporal 16137 Hardy, and retired Inspector of Police Eon Jackson.
A caution statement given by Williams was tendered and marked an exhibit in the matter, through Corporal Hardy. The statement, which was read in court by the officer, recalled the accused stating that he did not mean to shoot Randy.
According to the statement, Williams observed Randy attempting to open a gun they had found, and he took the weapon and attempted to do same, but the firearm went off instead. After seeing that Randy had been shot, the statement noted that Williams left the area, tossing the firearm in a mining pit.
Subsequent to the evidence of retired Inspector Jackson, the prosecution closed their case, indicating that they were unable to have Dr Nehaul Singh and the post-mortem report brought to court.
Attorney Conway then presented to the court, typed no-case submissions in the absence of the jury, which in essence, stated that the prosecution provided the court with insufficient evidence.
Prosecutor Mohamed then told the court that despite the fact that the only evidence against the accused is the caution statement, the accused ought to be found guilty given the fact that after the shooting he fled the area, and if it was truly an accident, he would not have done so.
Upon the return of the jury, Justice Singh informed them of the submissions made by the attorney. He then noted that given the fact that the only evidence against the accused is a caution statement, there is nothing to say that what he (the accused) said did not happen. He then directed that the jury return a not guilty verdict.
Williams was then told that he was free to go and was encouraged by the judge to be careful.
