While murder accused Hakeem Roberto Stuart admitted to police he was at Sheraton Centre on the day Damian Trotman was fatally shot, he maintained he was not the one that pulled the trigger.
That was the evidence of lead investigator, Inspector Dwayne Cumberbatch who said Stuart gave a written statement indicating what had transpired on March 21, 2019.
Cumberbatch, who was a Station Sergeant on the time attached to the Major Crimes Unit, was on the witness stand as Stuart’s murder trial continued within the No. 3 Supreme Court before Justice Carlisle Greaves.
Stuart, 24, of Shelbourne Gap, St Lawrence, Christ Church, is accused of murdering Trotman on March 31, 2019.
Cumberbatch told the court that having received details about a shooting that took place at Sheraton Centre earlier within the day, he together with other officers went to Kendal Hill, Christ Church to the residence of Rico John at around 3:30 p.m.
He said on arrival he saw Stuart and told him that Trotman had been shot and killed at Sheraton Centre and based on information received he had reason to consider he was the one that killed him.
Cumberbatch said Stuart replied, “I ain’t do nothing sir.”
The police officer said a search was made from the home and a gold-coloured cellphone was present in one among the bedrooms. Nonetheless, he said Stuart denied ownership of the cellphone.
Cumberbatch said he subsequently took Stuart to the Glebe Police Station to proceed his investigations.
He said while there, Stuart was allowed to talk to his attorney-at-law Kamisha Benjamin who spoke privately with him for just over an hour.
The policeman said following the lawyer’s departure, the accused willingly gave a written statement that detailed his movements on the day in query.
He said in that statement Stuart revealed that in the corporate of his father he went to ScotiaBank’s Hastings, Christ Church branch to get a new ATM card.
“I left the bank and my father then dropped me to Sheraton Centre in Christ Church and left me there. I desired to buy something to eat and I went to FirstCaribbean’s ATM and I took off $250 to purchase something to eat. I then walked to the snack store besides the sport store. I then went through the exit by Digicel which is by the food court and walked past the Olympus Theatre and walked up the a technique entrance and turned left walking back and began walking down the hill to go to Briar Hall, Christ Church to satisfy a person named Pile,” Stuart said within the statement.
Cumberbatch said Stuart indicated that he never met Pile and asked someone for a phone call to call his friend Aziza for a ride.
“After I got by the pasture I waited there for a bit but I didn’t see Pile. I then saw Aziza pull up in her automotive and I got within the backseat because I used to be accustomed to sitting within the backseat.
“Aziza then drove down the highway as if she was going to Bridgetown and while she was doing this a police motorbike was behind us and he turned on the siren. Aziza said she couldn’t stop because her insurance was out and I told her to not stop because I don’t trust police.
“Aziza kept driving and the police on the bike kept chasing the automotive. Aziza became a dead-end road but I’m undecided what the world known as. I got out of the automotive and ran away through a track at the back of where there are some big houses,” Stuart further wrote within the statement, adding that he took clothes from someone’s clothing line and adjusted what he was wearing.
In his statement Stuart said after going through the track he made his approach to ‘John Doe’s’ yard and purchased a drink after which sat down.
He said soon after police arrived, produced a warrant and started to look the home.
“Through the search a silver and black gun was present in a bag and the police asked everyone who the gun belonged to. I told them the gun just isn’t mine,” Stuart said within the statement. He said he was then taken into custody by police.
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