Prosecutors in the murder trial over the killing of senior Customs officer Nigel Christian are nearing the end of their case, with just one witness left to testify, expected before week’s end.
On Tuesday, before Justice Rajiv Persaud, two witnesses concluded their evidence, moving the Crown closer to closing a case that has spanned several weeks.
A woman who had been in a three-year relationship with Christian returned to the stand to finish her testimony, during which a bag recovered at Perry Bay shortly after the killing was formally entered into evidence. She said she recognized it as Christian’s, noting he used it for his laptop and that items inside—such as tea bags and Swiss chocolate—along with its floral lining, were familiar. Under cross-examination, she accepted she could not recall certain details about the bag when first shown it by police and agreed it was not unique, but stood by her identification.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police also continued under cross-examination. He told the court he recorded statements from the Crown’s key witness, a driver who claims he was present on the day of the killing, initially treating him as a person of interest. He confirmed the man was later interviewed as a suspect with his approval. The officer frequently said he could not recall specific details during questioning and is due to return to the stand.
The trial centres on allegations that Saleim Harrigan, Wayne Thomas and Lasean Bully abducted Christian from his McKinnons home at gunpoint on July 10, 2020, before killing him later that day in Thibou’s.
The Crown’s case has relied heavily on the driver’s account, in which he claimed he saw the accused force Christian into a vehicle, followed them, and later discovered the body. He also said he was asked to bring gasoline to burn items later found at Perry Bay but did not comply.
Prosecutors have also called multiple witnesses, including family members, forensic and DNA experts, and an FBI analyst who presented phone and DNA evidence.
The police officer’s cross-examination is set to continue Wednesday, followed by testimony from the lead investigator. The Crown is expected to close its case after that, with the defence then to begin its presentation.
Bully is represented by Michael Archibald, Thomas by Sherfield Bowen, and Harrigan by Wendel Alexander.
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