Fresh questions over the handling of critical evidence emerged Thursday in the murder trial of Customs officer Nigel Christian, as a police photographer testified that key items prosecutors rely upon to link the accused to the victim were absent when he documented a bag recovered at Perry Bay.
According to Antigua News Room, the photographer told the court under cross-examination that the bag contained only clothing — an army jacket, an overall and pants — and that he did not observe the tea bags and Swiss chocolate the prosecution cites as connecting the bag to Christian.
The bag sits at the centre of the prosecution's case, which alleges it held clothing worn by the perpetrators. The photographer's testimony follows earlier evidence from a crime scene manager, who acknowledged there was no record of the disputed items when the bag was first recovered. Those items were never tested or traced.
The photographer further confirmed he had documented a digital recorder retrieved from Christian's vehicle but stated he was unaware of its fate or whether it had ever been examined.
The defence argues that the connection between the bag and Christian rests solely on those contested items. Saleim Harrigan, Wayne Thomas and Lasean Bully stand accused of abducting and killing Christian in July 2020. The trial is scheduled to continue Friday.
