By Ketricia Finch
St. Kitts Reporter
Glenville Maynard and Raul Benjamin of Tabernacle scribbled down their questions that they would ask Doctor Bassil Odu after he finished testify at High Court on Tuesday. Both Maynard and Benjamin were being tried for two charges against them – wounding with intent and unlawful wounding. According to the particulars of the offence, Maynard and Benjamin wounded Sylvester James on July 21, 2006 with the intention of doing him bodily harm while travelling on a bus to Basseterre named ‘Big Iron’. It was also said by the DPP that Raul Benjamin hit him in his head with a bottle and he sustained injuries. They said Glenville Maynard used an ice pick and pierced James’ left hand about three times. The incident took place when they got to the Line Gate in Mansion and James went to the hospital to be treated for his injuries. The DPP also mentioned that Maynard fell out of the bus and got an injury at the back of his head.
“Mr. James received 1 1/4 inch laceration to his forehead and he got five stitches…The wound could have been caused by a hard object caused by force,” Doctor Odu told the court.
When Sylvester James came to court, he was certain that he knew both accuse at the time of the incident.
“I have known them since we were going Cayon High School. They live Tabernacle,” James said.
James recapped the series of events on the day of the incident.
“I left Saddler’s Village and caught a bus named Mr. Iron. I was going to Molineux to look for my little girl (daughter). I know the driver as Kevin. It was me and a rasta man in the bus. I was seated at the sliding door that is located on the left hand said of the bus. The rasta man was sitting in front by the driver. As we entered in Tabernacle, which was around three o’clock, two young fellows got on the bus. The short one (meaning Raul Benjamin) stopped the bus. He was on the left of the bus stop. The tall accused (meaning Glenville Maynard) was at the right side facing the village. The short one opened the bus door and struck me with a Guiness bottle in my head. The busman asked if me and them was in anything. I said no. While I was there talking, the tall one rushed over by the bus and started stabbing me with an ice pick. I had to put up my hand to prevent my face from getting injured so I got stabbed on my left hand. I told the driver to drive and the tall one who was stabbing me slipped out the bus and fell outside. When we got to the Line Gate, the busman stopped and fixed back the door because it was coming off. He then carried me to the Mary Charles Hospital,” James said.
“Do you practice mendacity? Did you come here to jeopardize my life?” Benjamin asked James during his cross-examination.
