Girl, 15, testifies in murder trial

A 15-year-old schoolgirl, the key witness, testified for the prosecution yesterday in the trial of a Laventille man who is on trial for shooting his uncle to death. She gave evidence before Madame Justice Paula Mae Weekes in the Port-of-Spain Second Criminal Court.

Kevon Nurse, 25, is charged with the murder of Lester Ash, a steelpan tuner and tailor on Christmas Day 2000. Ash was fatally shot at his apartment in Building 13, Leon Street, Success Village, Laventille. Nurse also lived in the same building complex as Ash. Aneka Shockness gave evidence under the directions of State prosecutor Wayne Rajbansee. Shockness who at the time of the murder resided at Building 14, testified that at 1.45 pm on the day of the incident she was standing in front of her building with two of her friends. She said she saw Kevon Nurse standing a distance away placing a green plaid mask on his face. Shockness said she knew Nurse “practically all my life” and he had a parlour which she used to frequent. Nurse, she said, was wearing a multi-coloured T-shirt and a long dark blue jeans pants. She said after placing the mask on his face, Nurse then proceeded to walk in her direction. She added that there was nothing blocking her view.

Shockness said she saw a silver object in Nurse’s hand as he walked past her into the back door of Ash’s apartment. She said a few seconds later she heard five to six explosions that sounded like gunshots. She then went inside her apartment, spoke to her mother for a few minutes, and came back outside. She said a minute later she saw someone wearing the same clothes and mask as Nurse left Ash’s apartment. She said the person was carrying a silver object resembling a gun. The person walked in an easterly direction, looked at her, looked upstairs, and continued walking. She said she did not see Nurse later that day. Shockness’ evidence followed that of Sgt Garfield Moore, of the Port-of-Spain Headquarters. Moore testified that he arrested Nurse at Milford Court, Tobago, following information he received from officers at the Morvant Police Station. He said that initially Nurse told him that he was Kirk Ryan of Upper Seventh Street, Malick, Barataria. He said after searching Nurse’s bag he found documents with the name of Kevon Nurse upon which Nurse admitted that was his real name. Moore said he cautioned Nurse and told him that he was wanted in connection with the death of Ash. He said Nurse told him that at 5.30 am on Christmas Day, he and Ash had a fight, upon which Ash hit him on the shoulder with a piece of wood. Nurse said he stumbled on the rail and hit his face. He said Ash then hit him in his face and burst his mouth.

Nurse told Moore that he went to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital but left because it was too crowded. He then went to the hospital at Mt Hope but left when he was told he had to pay for treatment. He said he finally received medical attention at the Arima General Hospital. He said that he learnt of his uncle’s death while watching the news that same night. Nurse said he did not want to give a statement. Moore then said that he left Tobago with Nurse at 11 pm on January 15. He said when he arrived at the Port-of-Spain Wharf the next day, he took Nurse to the Port-of-Spain CID and left him with Sgt David Abraham. Under cross-examination by defence counsel Mario Merritt, Moore said he did not send Nurse’s clothes to be tested for gun powder residue as he was not the investigating officer. Justice Weekes adjourned the matter to Monday when Shockness will continue to give evidence.