The girlfriend of slain senior Customs official Nigel Christian told the court she last spoke with him at 2:43pm on July 10, 2020, shortly before he sent her a video — hours before she learned he had been killed.
According to Antigua News Room, the woman testified Tuesday in the ongoing trial of three men accused of Christian's murder, describing him as kind, hardworking and in constant contact with her.
Her evidence took on particular significance when she identified a black bag recovered at Perry Bay as belonging to Christian. She cited items found inside — including tea bags and hot chocolate — and stated he used the bag to carry his laptop. She also confirmed she had signed the evidence bag.
That identification, however, is disputed. Defence attorney Sherfield Bowen argued the case hinges on "two tea bags and Swiss chocolate," after a crime scene officer testified there was no record of those items when the bag was first recovered.
The witness is expected to return to the stand to complete her testimony.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court heard a 911 call made by Christian's brother reporting his abduction. The brother initially described the incident as a false arrest and stated that surveillance cameras had been destroyed. When transferred to the Criminal Investigations Department, he told operators that police had taken his brother.
Defence attorneys used cross-examination to challenge gaps in the call records. Attorney Wendel Alexander highlighted that the exact time of the 911 call cannot be retrieved due to a system change, and raised questions about whether a backup diary had been consulted. Bowen and Michael Archibald also challenged the reliability of the timestamp, with the witness unable to confirm its accuracy.
Two additional witnesses gave brief evidence during Tuesday's session. Proceedings are scheduled to continue Wednesday.
