Teen freed of beach killing

Murder accused Ako Lewis, freed yesterday of killing a fellow villager during a football game in Vessigny Village near La Brea last year, begged for forgiveness as he walked out the San Fernando High Court. “I pray that she will forgive me for what happened.” Lewis, 18, was freed by a High Court judge for killing Alvin Celestine, 23, during a football game which ended violently on August 19 2003, on the Vessigny Beach. The trial came to an abrupt end when Justice Yorke Soo Hon upheld a no-case submission by Lewis’ defence attorney, Ian Gray. The judge agreed that the State was unable to disprove that Lewis acted in self-defence. As he walked out of the courtroom, Lewis told his relatives who surrounded him that he wanted to publicly apologise to Celestine’s mother for the death of her son.

Walking out of the court, Lewis said, “I pray that she will pray to God to put this behind her so that we can move on, and she can forgive me for what happened. I pray she will accept my apology.” Both men are from the village of Vessigny. It was around 5.30 pm on that fateful day that a fight erupted between the two while playing football. The State contended that deceased Celestine pulled out a cutlass and chopped Lewis.  Lewis in turn picked up a piece of iron and struck Celestine several times on the head.  Lewis died ten days later at hospital. In ruling on the no-case submission that Lewis acted in self-defence, Justice Yorke Soo Hon said, “It is clear from the prosecution’s case that it was the deceased and not the accused who was the aggressor.” Lewis had sent Celestine’s mother, Agatha Thomas, a letter of apology, but the woman testified during the trial before a 12-member jury that she never opened the letter.