MAR 20

The long awaited murder trial of the four men accused of the murder of Belmont Trafficker Omelia Roberts has finally started in the high court.

Sheldon "Dutch" Bain, Kenton Phillip, Zody Clement, and Elvon Barry appeared on Monday before resident High Court Judge Kenneth Benjamin and a twelve member mixed jury at the #1 High Court in St. George's.

The men are charged with the October 2002 slaying of 55 year old Roberts who was gunned down by intruders at her home. When the matter was called, a request was made by the defense for further consultation with the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Christopher Nelson on several issues relating to the trial.

The jury selection process got underway with the defense challenging ten jurors. An additional four jurors declined to sit on the matter on the grounds that they knew one of the defendants in the case and had ties with family members.

Defense lawyers Anslem Clouden, Derek Sylvester, Cajeton Hood and Dr. Francis Alexis have been retained to represent the accused persons.
Clouden is representing Barry, Sylvester is looking after the interest of Phillip, Clement by Dr. Alexis and "Dutch" Bain is being represented by Hood. The four were charged by police in February 2002 for the shooting to death of Roberts who was a regular trafficker on the Trinidad route.

Police suspect robbery as one of the motives for the killing.
In another court related matter at the Number Two High Court, Daniel Protain of Fontenoy, St. George's, went on trial on Monday before Justice Charmaine Pemberton for the February 21, 2003 killing of Peter Phillip, aka "Jackass" of the same village.

The hearing started with an overview of the Crown's case by Darshan Ramdhannie, one of the Crowns Counsels in the DPP office.

Indications are that the Prosecution will be calling seven witnesses including pathologist Professor Lazor Vigoa, a local bus driver who carried the deceased to the General Hospital, a police investigator and the defendant's common-law wife.

One of the eye-witnesses who resides at Fontenoy gave sworn testimony in chief for almost twenty minutes and was later cross examined by Protain's lawyer, George Prime.

It is the Prosecution's case that between 5.00 & 6.00 p.m. on February 21, 2003, both the accused and the deceased were seated on the Fontenoy sea wall when a scuffle ensued between both men. It is alleged that Phillip was stabbed with a knife. The matter is expected to conclude today (Friday).