Accused freed of 2014 Quamina St. murder

Feb 23, 2018 News

FREED: Kelvin Chisholm

Yesterday, a jury acquitted Kelvin Chisholm of the May 1, 2014 murder of Nigel Lawson who was stabbed to death on Quamina Street, Georgetown.
Chisholm, 57, of Water Street, Georgetown, was on trial for the murder before Justice Navindra Singh at the High Court in Georgetown.
When the trial resumed yesterday morning, Justice Singh summated the evidence and directed the jurors on the law. Thereafter, the jury was sent for deliberation. In announcing the verdict, the jury foreman said that they found Chisholm not guilty for murder as well as the lesser offence of manslaughter.
The verdicts in relation to both offences were unanimous.
Appearing for Chisholm were Attorneys-at-Law Hewley Griffith and Compton Richardson.
The prosecution was represented by State Counsel Abigail Gibbs, Tiffini Lyken and Narissa Leander. The State contended that around 20:30hrs on May 1, 2014, Lawson was found lying motionless with wounds to his body on Quamina Street between Thomas and Camp Streets.
He was transported to the Georgetown Public Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival. As a result of investigations, Chisholm was arrested and charged for the killing.
The police in a statement had said Chisholm, a security guard, had been on duty when he decided to make rounds around the compound, leaving his iPod and cellphone on a chair in front of the building.
The release said that upon returning to the area where his items were, the guard saw Lawson leaving the compound, and his (the guard’s) possessions were missing. An argument ensued between the two men and quickly developed into a physical altercation, during which Lawson was stabbed.
Police also said that the missing items were retrieved from Lawson by the security guard.
Before leaving the courtroom, Chisholm thanked the jurors. Justice Singh, in turn, wished Chisholm all the best in his future endeavours before discharging him.
On Wednesday, the prosecution’s star witness Ralin Sarrabo testified that he overheard Lawson shouting “Stop boring me! Stop jooking me!”, seconds after he was involved in a scuffle with Chisholm.
Lawson was at the time testifying via Skype from the United States, when he told the court that on the night of the killing, he left his home at 252 Quamina Street to run an errand when he observed the men arguing.
Detailing his account of the scuffle which allegedly ensued between the men, Sarrabo recalled hearing Chisholm telling Lawson, “You need to go and put back the bag.” Sometime after, he said he heard Lawson shouting, “Stop boring me! Stop jooking me!” about three times, followed by “Aaah boy, yuh bore me,” before collapsing on the southern parapet in front of his yard. According to the witness, he saw Chisholm moving his hand in a “back and forth motion” in the region of Lawson’s chest. The witness was however unable to say what sort of weapon was used to stab Lawson.

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