Father on trial for son’s murder

A father murdered his son in a fit of jealous rage because he suspected him of having an affair with his partner, the Grand Court heard on Friday.

Roger Bush shot at his 24-year-old son, Shaquille, 15 times outside his home in West Bay in November 2019, prosecutors allege.

Bush, 47, believed the victim had fathered a child with his long-time partner, Andrew Radcliffe, QC, said in his opening statement.

In a broad overview of the case, Radcliffe told Justice Marlene Carter that there was strong circumstantial evidence and witness testimonies regarding the elder Bush’s movements before and after the shooting and that the evidence points to him being the lone gunman.

Pointing to a rough drawing of the yard which showed multiple homes, Radcliffe told the court that, based on the evidence gathered, detectives believe the most likely scenario was that the younger Bush was shot from behind.

Bush tried to flee his attacker

“He lost his footing while trying to escape from his assailant, six of the gunshots were fired from the rear of the make-shift garage,” said Radcliffe, who added that another three shots were fired under another shaded area of the yard, while the remaining six shots were fired from close range, after Shaquille fell.”

“To put it in everyday terms, this is where Roger Bush finished of his son,” said Radcliffe.

The court heard that 15 spent 9mm bullet cartridges, three extended bullets and five bullet fragments were recovered from the crime scene and at least two more from the deceased.

“While the official time of death was not until some 10 minutes to nine by the attending physician, this is mere semantics,” said Radcliffe. “According to the notes from the officers at the scene, Shaquille’s lifeless body was observed upon arrival. There was no heartbeat, no pulse and he was unresponsive.

“He died almost, if not immediately, due to the injuries he received”.

Before and after the shooting

Justice Carter was shown CCTV evidence of Roger Bush’s movements before and after the shooting.

Bush can be seen wearing a black Bob Marley shirt and knee-length jeans shorts.

Using that footage, Radcliffe explained that he was in the general area between Mount Pleasant and Watercourse Road leading up to the shooting.

He pointed to a photo of a person crossing onto Hell Road, in West Bay, in a matter of minutes after the shooting.

“The evidence… is that this person is the defendant who crossed through shrub land and onto Hell Road, so as not to be detected when leaving the Miss Daisy Lane area,” Radcliffe said.

After being picked by his partner, Nikkieta Ebanks, who Roger Bush accused of having an affair with his son, the pair, together with their young child, drove to the beach.

“Once there, the defendant stripped off his clothes and threw them into the sea,” said Radcliffe, who told the court that this evidence was provided by Ebanks during a police interview.

“These actions, we say, are consistent with a man who understands… how to clean himself of gun powder residue,” said Radcliffe.

‘The rumour mill was rife’

The court heard that, after leaving the beach, Bush, Ebanks and the young child then headed towards the home of Ebanks’ parents in Bodden Town.

“While driving, Nikkieta begins to receive phone calls telling her about the shooting, at which point the rumour mill was rife, and she was told about three different persons who were alleged to have done the shooting,” said Radcliffe.

He added that one of those named was Roger Bush, “the defendant who was sitting in her car listening to the conversation”.

The court heard that when Bush heard his name, he told Ebanks to hang up the phone, then exited the car along the Esterley Tibbetts Highway, in the vicinity of Lakeside Apartments, and made his way on foot towards the complex.

During his opening remarks, Radcliffe told the court the motive for the crime was jealousy, as Roger Bush believed his son was having an affair with Ebanks and was the real father of her young daughter.

Ebanks is not the mother of Shaquille Bush, and says Roger Bush is the father of her daughter.

Bush denies the allegations and remains in custody.