BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE matter involving Nelson Challenger, Glenroy Smithen, Shenroy Francis, Moses Gardener and Jomi Rawlins resumed yesterday (Mar. 31) at the Basseterre High Court.
The matter, which officially began on March 11, resumed after a one week pause.
This pause followed a week-long voir dire (a trial within a trial) in the absence of the jury to determine how the case would continue with regards to certain witnesses.
Yesterday, legal arguments were presented to His Lordship Justice Darshan Ramdhani by Director of Public Prosecutions Travers Sinanan and the five attorneys representing the accused men.
Following the arguments, the judge decided that a specific witness could proceed to give evidence on the prosecution's behalf.
The five men are accused of the murder of Gregory Anthony Zakers, whose lifeless body was found at Black Rocks on April 12, 2008.
So far, six individuals have already testified 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 certain house.
Challenger is being represented by the Hon. Robelto Hector, Francis by Fitzroy Eddy, Rawlins by John Cato, Smithen by Natasha Grey and Gardener by Chesley Hamilton.
The trial continues today (Apr. 1).
