Murder accused says he was home

The man accused of murdering Rahim Ward between August 23 and 30, 2019, said he was nowhere in the environs of St Andrew’s Parish Church on the night Ward was shot.

When it was time for Kevin Andrew Haynes to give his defence, he said he was at home in Jordans Road, Belleplaine, St Andrew, on the night of August 23, 2019, In an unsworn statement in the Supreme Court No. 5A on Monday, Haynes recounted going by “Issues” and buying a meal for himself and the other for a Nathan Gaskin, before heading back by Belleplaine Supermarket that night to lime with friends.

He handed Nathan his food and some funds for a meeting turn, then he, Nathan and others remained there until a power outage occurred when he told Nathan he was going home. On arrival home he shouted for his brother, who opened the door and he went inside and called his girlfriend.

“I wasn’t involved in no shooting, nor killing, nor nothing,” he stated.

He was subsequently arrested and taken to the District “E” Police Station, where he said he was taken into a room, beaten and choked, with one officer standing on his feet.

He said a bag sprayed with insecticide was put over his head and several police officers in the room repeatedly told him, “You shoot the man.”

Haynes recalled that when the first interview started, he told the officers he had done nothing and wanted a lawyer.

Constable Ross Phillips, he said, turned off the recording and asked him whether he wanted to “go

back in the room”.

Meanwhile, Station Sergeant Feliston Gilkes asked him if he was stupid, and advised him to say “the men came up there with a gun”.

During his first recorded interview, he “just went off of what they told me,” Haynes said.

He did that “because I was frighten”.

Of the second recorded interview, he said, “I chose to say I was intimidated because I didn’t want to say beaten for them to beat me again afterwards”.

He said he saw Dr Jasmine Crump on September 9, and complained to her about his nose and throat. He never told her about the police beating him because during the visit, an officer was “right beside” him.

The case, which is being presided over by Justice Christopher Birch, is being heard by a jury of nine women and three men.

Acting Principal State Counsel Romario Straker is representing the State, while defence counsel Ajamu Boardi is acting on behalf of accused Haynes.

The matter continues tomorrow. (SD)