Teen: I lied to the police about Akiel

A 17-YEAR-OLD youth admitted in court yesterday that he lied to the police five years ago when he said that he saw Akiel Chambers swimming and paddling the length and breadth of the pool at the home of Charles and Annelore James at Maraval.

Kirlan Sylvester, a former student of Blackman’s Private School, Maraval,  also admitted that he fabricated some aspects of his statement in the presence of his father Garth Sylvester. “When I was young, I used to make up a lot of stories. Some of the things I gave to the police were true and some were not,” Kirlan told the court. Chief Magistrate Sherman Mc Nicolls, presiding as Coroner, asked: “Why did you make up all those stories to the police?”
KIRLAN: I don’t know what to say.
CORONER: Tell us why you made up those stories when you knew they were not correct?
KIRLAN: I have nothing to say. I have no answer.
CORONER: There must be a reason.
KIRLAN: There is no reason. I never got any pressure from anyone. I had a wild imagination, that is why I was prompted to put in those things.

Kirlan was one of two witnesses to testify before the Coroner in the Port-of-Spain Eighth Magistrates’ Court yesterday into the death of 11-year-old Akiel Chambers whose body was fished out of the James’ swimming pool on May 24, 1998. Akiel had gone to a pool party the day before for James’ daughter Carrie. The other witness was PC Curtis Frith. Desmond Allum SC, Dr Kenneth O’Brien, and Donna Prowell are seeking the interest of the Chambers family, while Sgt Kenneth Cordner is prosecuting. Hearing resumes on Thursday. Kirlan lives at Paramin, Maraval, and said he is a hydraulic technician.
CORONER: In May 1998, did you know Akiel Chambers?
KIRLAN: I knew Akiel Chambers, but I can’t remember if he was in my class.
CORONER: How come?
KIRLAN: Not to my knowing.
CORONER: Did you get an invitation to Carrie James’ party?
KIRLAN: That was the last time I saw Akiel Chambers.
CORONER: Wait a minute. How did you know Carrie James?
KIRLAN: She was a popular girl in my school.
CORONER: Was she in your class?
KIRLAN: For a year.
CORONER: What Standard was she in?
KIRLAN: I can’t remember. I really don’t know how she invited me. I knew Akiel Chambers, he wasn’t really my friend. We never spoke.
CORONER: Did you give a statement to the police on the 18th of June 1998? Did you read the statement and sign it?
KIRLAN: I read the statement last Friday when I got the summons to come to court.
CORONER: Did you tell the police that Akiel was your friend and you all used to speak a lot?
KIRLAN: Yes, sir.
CORONER: Then, which is true?
KIRLAN: What I told the police, that was not correct.
CORONER: Why did you tell the police that? Do you have any relative here in court?
KIRLAN: Yes, my father (Garth Sylvester got up and identified himself to the Coroner). I did tell the police that Akiel and I spoke and I told him that I got a Playstation from my mother who was in the States. He broke down in tears. I did not ask him why he was crying. I just walked away.
CORONER: Tell us more about that conversation.
KIRLAN: I can’t remember this conversation.
CORONER: How did you get invited to the party?
KIRLAN: One day when my father dropped me to school, I saw a lot of children by the steps. I went to see what it was and I got an invitation for Carrie James’ party.
CORONER: Did you know how Akiel got to school?
KIRLAN: I don’t know how Akiel arrived or left the school.
CORONER: Now, let us get to the party on the 23rd of May 1998.

Kirlan said his grandmother Kathleen Woods dropped him to the party at Balata Terrace, Haleland Park, Maraval, around midday. He saw Carrie and Ramiese Mahadeo who were already in the pool. He saw Mrs James in the kitchen. He said Carrie got out of the pool and she showed him her hampsters and a new television set. “My grandmother told me not to bathe in the pool. I took it upon myself to ask Ramiese for a bathing trunks. I got it and I went into the pool. I did not come out until Mrs James called everyone out of the pool for the sticking of the cake.”
CORONER: How many children were there in the swimming pool?
KIRLAN: I can’t remember... it was more than five, more than 10, it could be around 20.
CORONER: Did you see Akiel?
KIRLAN: I saw him under the umbrella at the side of the pool.
Kirlan said his grandmother returned around 6 pm. He said Akiel’s aunt came and everyone was asking for Akiel. “I looked in the pool because everybody was looking in the pool. I did not see anything in the pool. I can’t remember if the water was clear or murky.
CORONER: Did you remember telling the police that you saw Akiel sitting at the edge of the pool with his feet in the water?
KIRLAN: It was five years ago, I can’t remember. It is the first and last time I went to a pool party. I can’t recall saying that to the police. I tried my best to study what happened to Akiel. I study what could have happened to me.
CORONER: Did you read the statement you gave to the police?
KIRLAN: I did, but I didn’t agree with things in it.
CORONER: Constable Alvarez read over the statement. Did you say it was true and correct? Why did you say so?
KIRLAN: When I was younger I used to make up a lot of stories. Some of the things I gave to the police were true and some were not. It is not true when I told the police that I saw Akiel empty a cup with gummy bears. I remember Akiel going to the boy’s room. I remember seeing his Air Jordan sneakers.
CORONER: Did anyone coach you as to what you should say today?
KIRLAN: No. (At this stage, Kirlan’s father was asked to leave the court).
CORONER: Read through your statement and tell us what else is not true.
KIRLAN: When I said that Akiel was my friend, that was not true. When I said he was sitting on the side of the pool with his feet in the water, that is not true. When I said Akiel began easing himself into the pool, that was not true. When I said that Akiel was swimming in the deep and paddling in the water, that is not true. When I said that was the last time I saw Akiel, that was not true. When I said the water was very cloudy, that was not true.
CORONER: Did you know if Akiel could swim?
KIRLAN: I did not know.
CORONER: What did you know about Akiel? Don’t make up another story!
KIRLAN: I knew that his mother was in the States.

The witness was then questioned by the prosecutor.
CORONER: Would you agree that what happened to Akiel was a painful experience for you? You would want to forget those events?
KIRLAN: Yes.
CORONER: Are you saying that at the age of 12, you were able to filter in all those stories so skillfully?
KIRLAN: Yes.
CORONER: Is this an experience you would like to forget?
KIRLAN: Yes.
CORONER: Are you afraid to tell us what happened?
KIRLAN: No.
CORONER: On that day of the party, did you see anyone taking pictures?
KIRLAN: I think it was Carrie’s mom at the sticking of the cake. I did not see the pictures. I am not photogenic, so I stayed out of it.
Kirlan said he left private school in Form Two. He said his grades were poor and he normally finished 21st out of 25 children in tests. “I suffer from a lack of memory.”
CORONER: Did anyone speak to you about your statement?
KIRLAN: I spoke to my mom on the phone in the States. I read the whole statement for her. She told me not to worry, not to worry.