By Ketricia Finch
St. Kitts Reporter
Jurors watched as Mark Robertson entered the courtroom on Monday with his wheelchair being pushed by a family member.
Mark Robertson was the victim of a shooting that occurred on December 14, 2005 at Phillip’s Village. A native of Guyana, while in St. Kitts he worked as a farmer.
Mark’s doctor, Desmond Forsbery, said Mark received three gunshots wounds to his back. Forsebery said one of the bullets hit his spinal cord, severing it, and as a result of that, his lower limbs are permanently disabled. Doctor Forsebery said attempts were made surgically to remove two of the bullets, but one still remains inside the body.
“It would be permanent deficiencies (and) his life expectancy would be shortened…” Doctor Forsebery said.
Darnel Govia, the accused of this case was charged on three counts – attempted murder, wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. According to Mark’s evidence, Darnel, also known as ‘Bushy’ and whom he knew for about three years before the incident, fired shots at him while he was coming from Phillip’s Village and entering Molyneux.
He said he went to the poolroom first and then to Little Bee’s Shop to buy 1 lb of rice and some lentils to cook. Mark said while coming out of the shop, he saw Darnel and one of his friends standing on the left side with a scooter. He said he heard a shot and looked to his left and saw that it was Darnel pointing a gun towards him. Mark said he dropped the rice and lentils and ran as the shots were being fired at him.
“I turned to my right towards Phillip’s direction. I heard three more shots and I felt a burning in my back. I screamed. While I ran, I heard two more shots. I fell and rolled on my back. Darnel ran up towards me and pulled the trigger twice because I heard a clicking sound in the gun. He ran back to down the ghaut, going back to Molyneux direction,” Mark told the court on Monday.
Mark said he was lying for about 15 minutes in the street before he got assistance to go to the Mary Charles Hospital. Mark said he was then being transferred to the JNF Hospital.
“When I got to the hospital, I was lying still and some police officers came and took statements. They then took me to the theater and I gained consciousness two days after…” Mark said.
Mark said he came out of the hospital some time in January.
Idetha Phillip, the shopkeeper of Little Bee’s said Mark was truthful when he said he came there to buy the rice and lentils.
“I didn’t see Darnel that night. After I left serving Mark, I just went back to my front room.”
Constable Rosevelt Leader, who investigated the case said he and some other police officers went to the Mary Charles Hospital, but Mark was not there. Leader said they also went to where the incident occurred.
“We discovered one shirt with ‘Dallas’ printed on it, one blue short jeans pants with a brown belt in it. I noticed the shirt was torn down and I noticed blood stains. There was a hole on the shirt as well.”
Leader was referring to Mark’s clothes.
“We went to the main road which led from Molyneux to Keys. We noticed a black plastic bag. We placed it in police custody from since then.”
Leader said on Saturday December 16, they formally arrested and charged the accused.
When Darnel took the witness stand, he denied even being around when Mark got shot.
“I know Mark Robertson. We got along fine. We never had any altercation. On Dec. 14, 2005 around 9:30 p.m., I was home with my sister’s boyfriend, Amal Whyte. I didn’t shoot Mr. Robertson because I was not at Long Wall at that time.”
Darnel said he reported to the police station with his brother, who is a police officer, because army men are accustomed to ill-treat the ghetto boys.
“I told the police that I did not shoot anyone…Mark is lying on me. We would meet about three times a week to shoot pool.”
Darnel said he went to sleep around minutes to 11 and only himself and Amal were home that night.
Arlene Govia, Darnel’s mother, said she did not come court to help out her son because she does not practice to tell lies. She said on the night of the incident she thought her son got shot so she ran out on the patio of her house.
“I told him what I heard about the shooting. I’m talking from my heart,” Arlene said.
Kenroy Welcome was another witness for the defendant. He said he knows Darnel and Mark and he never had any altercation with Mark. He said he went down the scene when he heard about the shooting and he spoke to Mark. He said Mark told him ‘a man’ came from down the ghaut and shot him. Kenroy said the area was dark.
“I saw a woman and a fellow putting Mark in a jeep back. They were using the jeep lights to help them,” Kenroy said.
Kenroy said down the road was so dark, he couldn’t even see to walk.
After four days of trial, the judge will sum up the case and the jurors would retire to decide the verdict today (Friday). Darnel’s lawyer is Hesketh Benjamin.
