By Shanique Richards
St. Kitts Reporter
Four young men escaped jail time when they went before Judge Francis Belle earlier this week to answer to two separate charges relating to a stabbing incident that took place in January.
Khoy “Red Rat” Jeffers, Dwayne “Dirty Boy” Bridgewater, Javez “Chopper” Caines, and Karim Browne were charged with causing grievous bodily harm to Devon “X” Williams.
According to the Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) opening statement, on January 1, 2005 the accused men caused grievous bodily harm to Williams in the Basseterre area.
“Williams will give testimony that he was standing on Bank Street next to Bamboo’s with his friends when Dwayne Bridgewater walked up to them with a flick knife and said, “I come for X”. It was then when the other three men appeared.
“Devon Williams then ran but was pushed in a drain as the men began to box and kick him. It was then when he saw Caines pull out a knife and stabbed him,” said the DPP. Three other witnesses were also lined up to give testimony for the prosecution.
However, when the plaintiff was called to the stand to give testimony, he stated that he did not wish for the case to go any further. Williams refused to give a reason why he had taken that decision. Attorneys for the defense were also able to produce a letter addressed to the DPP stating that the plaintiff ‘does not wish to move further with the matter’.
Belle dismissed the case against the four accused but not before admonishing them to keep out of trouble.
“Williams has wasted a lot of public time. You young men are lucky that it turned out this way under the circumstances. Behave yourselves and keep out of trouble because the next time you might not be so lucky.”
All but Khoy Jeffers were free to leave, as the young man was taken back into police custody to await his trial to answer to the charge of murder in the Michelle Weekes-Benjamin murder (Michelle Weekes Benjamin in photo).
The fate of five young men accused of robbery will not be known until October, after the case against Ivan Edwards, Denzil Edwards, Rodelle Clarke, Jamal Foreman and Delroy Tota was adjourned.
The attorney for the plaintiff presented a letter signed by the plaintiff saying that they ‘will no longer be continuing the matter’. Both the prosecution and the judge seemed unaware of this evidence and the matter was taken to chambers.
After the closed deliberation, the case was adjourned until the said date. Jamal Foreman was returned to prison while bail was continued for the other four men.
There are 47 cases set for the September assizes, 30 traversed cases and 17 new ones. Seven of those are murder cases, with four for attempted murder.
