Lasean Bully, of Cashew Hill; Wayne Thomas, of Hatton; and Saleim Harrigan of Greenbay — were charged with killing Christian (photo by Newsco)
Three men charged with the murder of Customs Officer Nigel Christian are set to face trial tomorrow, February 19, when their case is called before the High Court.
Justice Rajiv Persaud will preside over proceedings involving Lasean Bully of Cashew Hill, Wayne Thomas of Hatton, and Saleim Harrigan of Greenbay — all of whom have maintained their innocence since being charged.
Nigel Christian
The case stems from a brutal incident in July 2020, when the 44-year-old senior Customs official was snatched from his McKinnons home on the 10th of that month. His body, riddled with gunshot wounds, was found shortly afterward in the Thibou’s area.
It took investigators nearly a year to bring charges, with the three men formally accused of murder in April 2021. The matter wound its way through the All Saints Magistrate’s Court before eventually being committed to the High Court. It was initially penciled in for the January 2023 assizes but suffered repeated delays. The accused were arraigned before Justice Ann-Marie Smith in January 2024, where each entered a not guilty plea.
The trial was to begin this morning but was moved to tomorrow. After years of waiting, the trial is finally poised to get underway.
I remember when this happened in 2020, it felt like the entire nation was in disbelief. A senior Customs officer taken from his home like that was something we never expected. It’s been a long road to get here.
I’m praying that the proceedings are handled with dignity and professionalism. High-profile cases can easily become sensationalized.
And they will keep adjourniing it like every other case until it is thrown out. This is the justice in Antigua