By Latrishka Thomas
The high-profile murder trial surrounding the death of Bruce Greenaway finally began yesterday before a court room full of onlookers.
The Falmouth father-of-two’s body was found at Indian Creek on April 13 2020 – days after his family had reported him missing.
Police officer Jason Modeste and Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force soldiers Shakiel Thomas, Armal Warner and Aliyah Martin are accused of killing him.
Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Shannon Jones-Gittens led the case for the prosecution, holding for Valston Graham—former St Kitts and Nevis Director of Public Prosecutions – and assisted by Sean Nelson.
In her opening statement, she disclosed more details of what is believed to have happened on April 9 2020 – the last day the 43-year-old was supposedly seen alive.
According to the Crown, Greenaway was walking on Falmouth Main Road past the Covid curfew which was 12pm at the time. Thomas was driving a maroon truck along the same road and confronted Greenaway before restraining him and putting him in the back of the vehicle.
Sometime later, the other three defendants got in the truck and that was the last time Greenaway was seen alive.
The first witness, Tricia Greenaway – one of the deceased’s cousins – recalled that on April 12 2020 she received information from her father and sister which she began to disseminate.
The next day she was called to Clarence House where she identified a body as that of her cousin.
She told the court she observed what appeared to be maggots on the neck and chest area, his chin was split in two and the left side of his stomach was black and blue.
Tricia said she was able to identify the body because “the Greenaway men have a distinct forehead” along with other facial features and his clothing – a long sleeved blue shirt and dark brown pants.
The witness said she again identified the body in person on May 19 and, subsequent to that, in pictures she was shown on June 5 where she was able to see a tattoo of a grim reaper.
Attorney Wendel Robinson, who represents Modeste, briefly questioned the witness to ascertain what Greenaway did for a living and why he moved back to Antigua after 30 years in the United States.
Tricia could not answer the latter, but in relation to the former she said that her cousin was a “handyman, plumber, jack of all trades”.
Robinson then inquired into whether the deceased used drugs and the witness indicated that she had no knowledge of such.
The lawyer then asked whether or not Greenway was aggressive towards tourists and she gave the same response.
Next, Thomas’ lawyer Andrew O’Kola appealed to the soft spot of the witness by asking her if she misses her relative and wants justice. She affirmed.
“Do you want persons responsible to be made accountable?” O’Kola asked. “Yes,” she responded.
He followed up by asking, “Did you see your cousin in the presence of the accused,” and she said “no”.
The lawyer then challenged the witness’ knowledge of what could have caused the supposed black and blue marks or the distortion of the deceased’s chin, and she admitted that she is not a pathologist and therefore does not know the causes.
Attorney Sherfield Bowen, who represents Warner, then grilled the witness on how she was able to identify Greenway by his clothes noting that she had not seen him since April 5.
“I’ve seen him in it before,” she said, adding that she recognised certain facial features.
Lawrence Daniels, the final member of the defence representing the lone female defendant, then sought to ascertain whether the witness lived with the deceased and got her to iterate that there was a 12pm curfew at the time.
It was revealed that Greenaway in fact lived in the same yard with the next witness, another cousin Monica Jackson.
In Jackson’s testimony she revealed that on April 9 she spoke to Greenaway in their yard at 6am and he left and returned at around 8am with groceries. She said he then changed into clothes for gardening (blue long sleeved shirt, dark coloured pants and water boots) and left their residence at around 11am.
She said she didn’t see him again until 1pm when she heard him shouting her name and she looked out and saw him in the back of a burgundy pick-up driving towards English Harbour.
She said it wasn’t until she didn’t see him the next day that she called her aunt.
Days later on the night of April 13, she said she was taken to Indian Creek and shown something out in the water. She said she was later shown a body in a body bag and she identified the individual as Greenaway.
Lawyers O’Kola and Robinson followed a similar line of questioning with this witness as the previous.
Bowen insinuated that the witness could not have identified the deceased by his clothes because, according to her evidence when she saw him in the pick-up, she only saw his upper body at the time.
Daniels asked questions pertaining to the witness’ home in order to determine how she was able to see the defendant from inside her house.
She described the location of rooms and doors and said that she was at the sink which was near to an open door when she heard her name.
Jackson also said she was about 15-20 yards from the vehicle of which she only saw the back.
The trial, which will consist of about 36 witnesses, will continue on Monday.