A 26-year-old Green Bay Hill resident is awaiting sentencing after he voluntarily directed police officers to an illegally possessed shotgun concealed beneath his bedroom bed, according to Antigua.news.
Ajahnae Nicholas made no attempt to conceal the weapon when officers arrived at his home on the morning of April 10 armed with a search warrant. When asked whether anything illegal was on the premises, Nicholas led investigators directly to his bedroom, where they discovered a silver Mossberg 12-gauge shotgun wrapped in a striped sheet inside a black plastic bag. The firearm's serial number had been scraped clean.
Nicholas told officers he had found the weapon in the bush.
The voluntary disclosure ended the search before it could begin, but it did not shield him from prosecution. Nicholas appeared before Chief Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel, entered a guilty plea, and was remanded to custody. Sentencing is scheduled for May 12.
His co-accused, 20-year-old Kayshia Riley of Sweets Village, fared better — her charge was dismissed entirely. Attorney Sherfield Bowen appeared for the defence.
Prosecutors described the weapon as a serious public safety threat, noting its capability to fire 3-inch shells at close range and the deliberate removal of its serial number. The court is currently reviewing sentencing guidelines ahead of next month's hearing.
