SOURCE: ANTIGUA OBSERVER- The sexual nature of the conversations between two men on WhatsApp were the main focus during the third day of the trial in which a man is accused of cutting the neck of another man, during a sexual rendezvous which went wrong.
A young man is accused of luring a 29-year-old man to Dove Trail Beach under the pretence of a sexual encounter in January 2020.
This meeting came about as a result of the teenager owing the victim $100 which he had promised to repay for some time, but failed to do so.
Constable Corene Joseph, who is attached to the Regional Cyber Investigations Laboratory and who is versed in the examination of digital devices, testified that she conducted forensic examinations of the phones of both the victim and the accused.
As a result, she discovered a trail of evidence that suggested that the duo was having sexual conversations via WhatsApp for some time. However, the communication between both men was initiated by the victim in August 2018 and continued up to January 2020 when the incident occurred.
Constable Joseph told the court that — based on the messages — it was concluded that the accused pushed the victim for sexual favours in exchange for money which he owed to the victim.
The accused told the victim that he was broke and required money to obtain a work permit and even asked the victim to teach him to drive, saying, “Once you teach me to drive, me do anything for you.”
The victim promised to give him driving lessons once the accused was able to obtain his learner’s permit.
The messages also revealed that the accused made inquiries as to whether the victim was a “money man”, to which he responded he was not but had sufficient money.
The accused told the victim that he wished he had someone to buy him things. The victim told him that most young men find a man or a sugar momma to take care of them, to which he said he would have to find a man because he wanted new clothes and shoes.
The victim advised the accused — who was still in school at the time — that he has to be interested in the person and not use them to get things.
Requests were made for an I-phone, which the accused said he would do anything for, in addition to $165 for the purchase of a pair of goal keeping gloves.
The victim had at this time made some sexual advances to the teenager, who had indicated that he didn’t think he could have intercourse with or kiss a man. The victim then told him that he would not want to put him in an uncomfortable position.
An offer was made some time later by the teen for the older man to perform oral sex on him, but the man said that this was not something in which he had much interest as he does not enjoy it.
The sexual messages continued over time and, in 2019, the accused made a proposition that the victim pay him $5,000 for a picture of his private part, which he (the victim) had been requesting for some time.
The accused eventually persuaded the victim to loan him $100. However, after receiving the money, which he said he needed to open a bank account, he kept promising to repay it saying that he was waiting on his brother to give him the cash.
After he was unable to get back his money, which he had initially told the accused could cause problems, the victim threatened to take the matter further.
The accused then told the victim that he needed another way to settle the debt and requested $300 for sexual favours, which the victim declined. The price was then reduced to $150 and $120 but the complainant still was not interested.
With him still owing the victim the $100, the accused at some point made a request that the victim purchase a $30 item that he had seen online.
The duo continued to have conversations about sex and the outstanding money, with the victim saying at one point to forget about the sexual advances and to just pay him what he is owed.
Plans were subsequently made for them to meet and it was at this time that the accused used a knife to inflict an injury to the victim’s neck.
Dr Alafea Stevens, who was working in the Emergency Room at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre on the night the victim drove himself to the hospital, testified that he sustained multiple penetrating wounds about his body.
One of the injuries was a large 10 cm laceration to the neck, which was in the vicinity of the carotid artery, which is responsible for supplying the brain with blood from the heart. She deemed this injury to be life-threatening and the victim was referred to an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist for further treatment.
The victim also sustained injuries to his back, thigh, calf, shoulder and elbow.
Constable Joseph also presented Facebook conversations between the two in which the accused told the victim that he regretted what had happened and asked for forgiveness.
He told the victim that his brother had died and that he was a “stupid kid” at the time the offence occurred.
In the message he had asked the victim if he was going to court, because at that time the matter was before the court.
He also said that whatever time he got in jail and whatever money he has to pay back he would have to live with it.
The trial continues today before High Court judge Justice Tunde Bakre. Paulio Williams is prosecuting the case, while attorney Michael Archibald is representing the accused
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In opinion focusing too much on personal details might detract from the core issue at hand—attempted murder. Let’s make sure the focus remains on justice and not sensationalism.
it’s good that the court is thoroughly investigating all aspects of the case. I hope that there transparency in such serious matters.
“The accused told the victim that he was broke and required money to obtain a work permit…”
Oh dear a Foreigner??