Court Shown Military-Style Clothing Linked to Nigel Christian Killing

Jurors in the murder trial of senior Customs officer Nigel Christian were shown a series of exhibits on Tuesday, including military-style clothing bearing Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF) markings, as the proceedings entered their 13th day.

Among the items displayed were two camouflage uniforms—one medium and one large—with the letters ABDF woven into the fabric and printed on the tags, suggesting they may be regulation military garments. Prosecutors also introduced navy blue overalls, a glove and two pairs of Nike sneakers which they argue are connected to the men accused in the killing.

A constable from the Forensic Evidence Recovery Unit told the court she helped collect and process physical evidence from several locations linked to the investigation. She testified that when she attended the scene where Christian’s body was found, five spent shell casings were located nearby and the victim had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

The officer said her work later included examining Christian’s truck, collecting swabs and fibre samples from its interior, and assisting with the recovery of items from Perry Bay believed to be connected to the case. She also took swabs from two of the accused during the course of the investigation.

Defence attorney Wendel Alexander challenged aspects of the forensic handling of the evidence, highlighting that no forensic examination was carried out at Cassada Gardens where the truck was first discovered and that the witness could not say how the vehicle was transported to Police Headquarters or how it was secured in the days before a second examination. She also told the court the camouflage uniforms had been hung to dry after arriving wet at the forensic unit.

The court additionally heard from an acting corporal who said he and another officer discovered Christian’s body on Thibou’s Road while searching possible escape routes after receiving information about a reported kidnapping on July 10, 2020.

Under cross-examination from defence lawyers, the officer acknowledged several shortcomings in procedure, including that no written notes were made at the crime scene and that a mobile phone recovered during the arrest of two of the accused had not been properly marked or logged. Questions were also raised about the timeline of when police first received reports of the kidnapping.

Saleim Harrigan, Wayne Thomas and Lasean Bully are charged with abducting Christian from his McKinnons home and killing him on a dirt road in Thibou’s. The trial is scheduled to continue Wednesday.

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