Straker puts forward his defence

Accused Seth Ashad Michael Straker said he went home to get a condom after having a conversation with a woman but when he returned where he had left her on May 29, 2007 he came across some men who told him to leave.

Reading at times from a statement he had given to police at the time of his arrest Straker, of Rock Close, Wildey, St Michael, said he ran.

The accused, who is representing himself on a two-count indictment, is charged with having an illegal Berretta A 303 semi automatic shotgun and three rounds of ammunition in his possession on the said date.

In an unsworn statement he told the nine-member jury hearing the case in the No. 3 Supreme Court he ran through a track along with another man. When he arrived at the end of that trail he came across a man on a bicycle aiming a gun at him but the other man running alongside him ran at the gunman knocking him down.

“I ran and took the gun from the man. I ran into the shop and when I look outside I saw ten to 20 men outside.”

He explained that he told the woman who was in the shop to call the police and she led him into the back.

“Before the police got there I put the gun in the cupboard  . . . and I just emptied my pockets. The police got there . . . the guys outside which I took the gun from said the gun in there. The police went to the cupboard and found the gun. I told the police what happened . . . they still decided to charge me anyway. I did five months on remand,” he said as he went on to explain again why he had the illegal weapon.

“The fella was on the bike trying to aim the gun at me. The [other] guy he jump over and landed on the bicycle, the guy could not aim the gun anymore . . . so I said when that guy does get up he will hit me first so I took the gun as I run and told Sherryann to call the police. That’s why I took the gun,” Straker said.

After giving his statement trial judge  Justice Randall Worrell asked whether he was calling any witnesses, Straker responded: “ I don’t want to force anybody to come to  court.”

The judge assured him that the court could assist in getting his witnesses but the accused declined saying: “That is my case.”

He returns on Monday, March 23 when he will address the jury.

Crown Counsel Rudolph Burnett who is prosecuting the case called six of eight witnesses to give evidence over the past two days. The other two witnesses are deceased.