The brother of murdered Kareem 'Bingy' Sebastian told the court that he wanted to kill Jessroy McKelly to avenge the death of his brother Kareem Sebastian. He was positive that it was Jessroy McKelly who pumped several shots into his brother. Photo: VINO

Akeem Sebastian (not pictured) is the key witness for the Crown in the trail of Jessroy McKelly (above) who is on trial after pleading not guilty to the offence of murder. Photo: VINO

It was the continuation of his testimony in the trial of murder accused Jessroy McKelly who is accused of the shooting of Kareem Sebastian resulting in his subsequent death. At time of making the announcement Akeem was responding to questions put to him by Senior Crown Counsel Valston Graham.

Graham was questioning the witness about his reasons for giving two statements to the police after the shooting incident; one which was done the very night in question and the other four years later.

Following the objection of McKelly’s lawyer to the witness identifying the alleged shooter in his testimony, High Court Judge ruled in favour of the Crown allowing the witness to continue to proceed with the identification process.

The witness was very sure that it was McKelly who he had seen shooting at his brother, “I recognize a little bit of his face, just a little bit but I recognize it,” he said firmly.

He also recalled the shooter saying to his brother, “Dead”. “He said ‘dead’ after he fired the last round,” the brother of the deceased told the court.

Asked about the description of the gun that the alleged shooter had, the witness told the court that he did not pay keen attention to the weapon as he was more focused on what was happening to his brother at the time. “I stand there staring at everything, I was really surprised at what was happening… tell you the truth I wanted to move but I was just not getting to move, just still, standing staring,” he recalled.

Two others were in the company of Akeem and Kareem at the time of the incident and according to the witness, they both ran as the shots started to fire. He told the court that he failed to give the names of the two other witnesses during his first statement to the police as he did not want to get them involved.

The court also heard that the last words Kareem said to his brother before being rushed to the Peebles Hospital were “Help me”. “I thought he was dead but he push up and looked and then he said help me,” the witness said.

He also recalled for the court records how he picked his brother up holding him from under the arms and assisting him into a car which was being driven by one Lydel. He also remembered that his brother’s girlfriend, Towanna, was also in the area and had turned up on the scene shortly after the shooting. “She was just screaming a lot,” he told the court.

He explained to the court that he visited his brother many times while hospitalized but had left the country for Nevis as he was “Trying to get away from everything”. At the time of his brother’s death the witness was in Nevis.

Under cross-examination the court heard that the two brothers were very close as they even worked together. The witness admitted that on occasions they did get into small altercations between themselves.

The witness recalled an incident where he had gotten into a fight which resulted in his brother, now deceased, hopping in to his aid. The incident had allegedly involved the brandishing of a gun.

He told the court that he had no knowledge of the police visiting the home of the person with whom he had the fight after his brother was shot.

He also told the court that he had seen and spoken to McKelly a few times after the shooting incident. “It was in the day time though… I didn’t show him that I was scared of him…”

The trial continues today as the main witness is likely to return to the stand for further cross-examination and possible re-examination by Graham.

See previous story published on March 25, 2014: 

8-9 shots pumped into ‘Bingy’ – chief witness testifies

-Brother testifies witnessing shooting death incident

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – The brother of Kareem Sebastian aka Bingy deceased, Akeem Sebastian today March 25, 2014 commenced giving evidence in the High Court when he testified that he witnessed firsthand the shooting death.

Akeem Sebastian is the key witness for the Crown in the trail of Jessroy McKelly who is on trial after pleading not guilty to the offence. The witness told the court this morning that ‘Bingy’ was in his company on the night in question when someone clad in all black emerged from behind a garbage bin and commenced shooting directly at Bingy.

The man said that the shooter had approached from behind but had positioned himself at the side of his brother and in close range pumped 8-9 shots into him. “In my recalling there were 8-9 (gun shots) so much I heard,” said the witness.

He said that after the initial shot had hit his brother, “…shots continue to fire and he fell and the person continue to fire while he fell on the ground.”

Under the questioning of Senior Crown Counsel Valson Graham the witness told the court that the area was brightly lit with lights at the time. He also told the court that he was able to see the side of the shooter’s face.

However as Graham asked, “Did you recognize this person that shot at your brother?” and Akeem Sebastian responded, “Yes sir.” McKelly’s lawyer then rose in objection. The jury was asked to leave to allow for legal deliberations which went into lunch break.

The trial continues this afternoon.