Murder accused insist they had nothing to do with shooting victim’s death

Four men accused of murdering Ajay Smith almost six years ago have denied any involvement in his shooting death.

Undre Emmanuel Thompson, of Chancery Lane, Christ Church; Llamar Deigo Akked Holder, of Breedy’s Land, Silver Sands, Christ Church; Shavar Theodore Ward, of Hopewell, Christ Church; and Johnathan Fitzgerald Gaskin, of Wanstead Gardens, St Michael, all made similar unsworn statements from the dock of the No. 2 Supreme Court on Monday.

They are on trial before a 12-member jury and Justice Randall Worrell accused of murdering 19-year-old Smith, of Sayers Court, Christ Church, between May 23 and 24, 2017. Smith’s body was discovered with several gunshot wounds on the hard court next to the St Christopher Primary School.

Thompson, Ward and Gaskin are represented by attorney-at-law Arthur Holder and associates.

In his statement, Thompson said: “I did not shoot Ajay or had anything to do with his death. I did not plan or assist [calls name] in the killing of Ajay.”

Ward, meantime, stated: “I did not shoot or assist [calls name] in the death of Ajay Smith. I did not assist [calls name] in any way.”

Co-accused Gaskin, in his statement from the dock, said: “I did not shoot Ajay Smith nor did I have anything to do with his death. I did not plan or assist [calls name] with his death.”

The fourth man, Holder, is represented by Andrew Willoughby and associates. 

“I did not shoot or have any involvement in any plan involving Ajay Smith. I did not assist or had any involvement in his death,” he insisted.

The accused also informed the court this was the first time they had been charged with a criminal offence. 

They will continue putting forward their defence on Wednesday.

Their statements came after Senior State Counsel Oliver Thomas and State Counsel Anastasia McMeo closed the prosecution’s case.

According to the evidence of consultant pathologist at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Dr Conrinthia Dupuis, Smith sustained ten injuries, all consistent with gunshot wounds, to the left side of his body.

“In my opinion, the bullet that went through the heart is what caused his death,” Dr Dupuis had testified.