Witnesses Testify in Firearms Trial for Westbury Cemetery Incident

Two witnesses in the Westbury Cemetery firearm trial testified that while a gun was dropped during a burial, they could not tell exactly where it had come from.

Zara Massiah, a Second Lieutenant with the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), attached to the Cadet Corps at the time of the incident, said she was at the graveside, having been assigned to the mother of the deceased who was a former cadet.

Taking the stand as the firearm possession trial of Akmal Teril Haynes of Spruce Street and Alana Nikita Crystal Nearvay of Ashby Alley, Nelson Street continued in Supreme Court No. 3, she told the jury that she was six feet away from the graveside when she saw a dark-coloured object fall to the ground, which she recognised as a firearm.

Principal State Counsel Neville Watson asked whether she saw where it fell from, and she responded, “No, Sir”, but noted that the firearm was in an area where a young woman with a bag was putting mud on the grave.

The witness admitted that other people were around the woman.

Massiah said the gun was pointed out to BDF Chief Petty Officer Ryan Selby, who took up the firearm and attempted to make the area safe.

She said a scuffle then ensued between Selby and a group of people.

Representing Haynes, attorney Sian Lange asked the witness if she had an opportunity to touch the gun.

“No,” Massiah said.

“You have no way of telling if it was an imitation firearm?” Lange further questioned.

“No, Sir,” the witness stated.

During her cross-examination, Latisha Springer, who is representing accused Nearvay along with Krystal Fenty, asked Massiah why she had not given anyone a description of the woman at the graveside.

Massiah responded that she had not been asked to.

Station Sergeant Sinclair Phillips, who was attached to the Criminal Investigations Unit in 2012 and was the lead investigator in the case, was shown video of the incident and pointed out the accused in the recording.

Asked about the firearm on the burial site, he told the court he was not sure how it got on the ground or where it had fallen from.

Testifying about the scuffle, the police officer said accused Haynes appeared to pull back Selby after two other men pulled the firearm away from the BDF officer.

Under cross-examination by Lange, Phillips admitted that he could not tell whose hand was on Selby, but believed that due to its complexion, it was Haynes’.

“Are you an expert on complexions?” the lawyer asked.

“No,” the witness responded.

The state is expected to close its case next Monday.