Trial of teen who allegedly killed classmate begins

The trial of Samuel Cornelius who is accused of murdering his classmate in 2012, began today in the High Court.

Cornelius is charged with the murder of his 17-year-old classmate Anfernee Bowman which occurred in February 2012. Justice Diana Insanally is presiding over the case.

It is alleged that both teens were leaving their Math lessons when they became involved in an altercation outside of the premises. During the altercation, Bowman was stabbed several times about his upper body, two of which penetrated his heart. He was rushed to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.

Fellow classmate Ashton Stephens yesterday testified that the teens were friends prior to Bowman’s girlfriend leaving him and striking up a relationship with Cornelius. He told the court that on the day Bowman was killed, he saw him and two other friends “ganged up” outside as other students passed.

Samuel Cornelius
Samuel Cornelius

Stephens said that he passed them and was waiting to catch a bus when he heard a commotion behind him. “I saw them exchanging blows,’ he recalled, stating that as he drew closer, he saw a screwdriver fall from Cornelius’ side.

Cornelius, he said, broke out in a sprint with Bowman trailing. “I started to run behind Anfernee,” Stephens said, adding that he saw Bowman fell to the ground. “I saw blood on his shirt…and I looked to get assistance to take him to the hospital,” he added.

Defence Attorney Mark Waldron suggested to Stephens that the fight was the result of a feud over Cornelius’ girlfriend. Stephens, however, was quick to deny that the teens were having problems at the time because Cornelius started seeing Bowman’s ex-girlfriend.

He stated that he could not recall if Bowman wanted to beat up Cornelius because of the situation. Waldron posited that Bowman was threatening Cornelius that he would beat him up. Stephens denied any knowledge of this. “Come on Mr. Stephens you don’t know?” Waldron asked.

Bowman’s father also testified that he saw his son’s body being lifted out of a taxi at the hospital. Gary Bowman said he was at home when he received a call that his son had been stabbed and he should go to the hospital. He said that when he arrived, his son was not at the hospital. But after a while, the boy was brought there.

The father said that when he unbuttoned his son’s bloody shirt, he saw several stab wounds.

Cornelius was committed to stand trial in 2013 by Magistrate Judy Latchman, who stated that a prima facie case was made out against him.