The jury in a conspiracy to murder trial on Thursday afternoon started its deliberations.
Jurors began their discussions after Justice Cheryll Richards delivered a painstaking summing up of the case against Antascio Rankine and Rolan Welcome.
Richards told the jury that the prosecution, led by KC Barnaby Jameson, contended that CCTV footage captured on the night of the killing showed Rankine with three others at the scene of the fatal shooting of Sven Connor.
Welcome admits he was present but only out of fear and coercion, and denied any part in a conspiracy to murder Connor or knowledge that firearms were being carried.
Rankine, 30, and Welcome, 34, are both charged with conspiracy to murder and possession of a firearm without a licence.
They deny the allegations.
Richards said the prosecution had suggested that Welcome had put a machete down at the scene because he knew that other weapons were available and that he appeared to be calm, in control and “calling the shots”.
She added that the prosecution had also claimed that Welcome had the opportunity to run away after the other men went behind Connor’s house and gunshots were heard, but “instead went to collect his machete and waited for the others”.
Richards said some prosecution evidence was inaccurate and highlighted that one had said Welcome was wearing a white T-shirt when he had a camouflage top on.
She reminded the jury that another man identified as having been at the scene was later found to have an alibi after he was caught on a CCTV camera at a George Town restaurant.
Richards said the jury would have to be convinced that witness identification that placed Rankine at the scene of the killing was correct to convict him.
She added that Welcome’s defence counsel had said there was no motive put forward for why Welcome would want to take part in a plot to kill Connor.
Richards said the court had also been told by his defence there was also no evidence that suggested Welcome knew that anyone at the scene was in possession of a Glock semi-automatic pistol without a licence.
She told the jury it was up to them to sift through the facts of the case and decide if the allegations had been proven and whether to accept witness evidence “in whole or in part”.
Richards said they had to be sure there had been a plot to kill Connor and that the two defendants were part of it.
The trial continues.
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