The jury deliberating in the murder trial of Saleim Harrigan, Wayne Thomas and Lasean Bully has indicated it needs more time to reach a verdict.

After 6pm — some four hours after Justice Rajiv Persaud completed his summation — the jury was called back before the judge and made clear they were not yet ready to decide the fate of the three accused men.

The three men are on trial for the murder of senior Customs officer Nigel Christian in what has become one of the most high-profile criminal cases in Antigua and Barbuda in recent years.

The trial began on February 19th and has run for more than two months, with Justice Persaud spending more than four hours this morning alone summing up the evidence before sending the jury out.

The case dates back to July 10th, 2020, when Christian was abducted at gunpoint from his home in McKinnons, bundled away, and shot dead on a dirt road in Thibou’s later that same day.

The killing sent shockwaves across the country, particularly within the Customs Department where he was a well-known and respected figure.

Deliberations will continue tonight. We will bring you the verdict the moment it comes.