Witness says saw accused moving hand towards chest of murder victim

Prosecution star witness, Rolin Sarrabo, said that he saw Kelvin Chisholm motioning his hand towards the region of Nigel Lawson’s chest on the night he was killed.

Sarrabo was at the time testifying via Skype from the United States, at the trial of Chisholm, who is accused of murdering Lawson on May 1, 2014 on Quamina Street, Georgetown.

The witness recalled leaving his Quamina Street home about 8:20 on the night in question to run an errand when he heard two men arguing on the street in front his house.

He said he later recoginsed that it was Chisholm and Lawson, both of whom he knew from around the area. He said the deceased did odd jobs for him and other residents, while the accused worked at a nearby doctor’s office.

During the argument, the witness said he heard Lawson exclaim, “stop boring me, stop juking me,” as the accused motioned his hand back and forth towards the man’s chest about three times.

After the third hand movement, Sarrabo said he heard the deceased cry out, “ah boy, yuh bore meh.” The witness said he then saw Lawson holding and rubbing his chest as he struggled to take off his jersey, before collapsing.

He told the court that he immediately got into his vehicle and pursued Chisholm who by that time was fleeing the scene on his bicycle. After catching up with him a short distance away, Sarrabo said he confronted him about what he had seen.

According to the witness, the accused then asked, “you see I stab the guy.” Sarrabo said it was at that point that he summoned the police to the scene.

Responding to questions from Prosecutor Tiffini Lyken, Sarrabo said that at no time did he see Lawson in a scuffle with the accused, while adding that the man was trying to get away from Chisholm.

He said too, that he did not see Lawson with anything in his hand, noting that he had shouted at Chisholm to leave the man alone. He said he did not see what the accused had in his hand as he motioned towards the deceased.

Also testifying yesterday was pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh who recalled performing an autopsy on Lawson’s remains. He gave the cause of death as perforation of the heart and lung, due to stab wounds to the chest. From his examination of the body, Dr. Singh said the wound seemed to have been inflicted with a knife.

Testifying too was Detective Inspector of Police Herbert Henry who recalled putting the allegation to the accused who, in an oral statement admitted to stabbing Lawson, whom he accused of stealing his cell phone and iPad.

Police Lance Corporal Quinn Sandy, had previously testified that the accused had related to him that he had pierced Lawson with a knife during a scuffle because he had stolen from him.

The prosecution closed its case after taking the final of its ten witnesses yesterday.  The matter continues this morning at the High Court in Georgetown where presiding judge, Justice Navindra Singh is expected to sum up the case and hand it over to the jury for deliberations and the possible return of a verdict.

Representing the accused are attorneys Hewley Griffith and Compton Richardson.

The state’s case meanwhile, is being led by Lyken, in association with prosecutors Narissa Leander and Abigail Gibbs.