Saliem Harrigan convicted of Nigel Christian murder as co-defendants go free
More than five years after a senior Customs officer was snatched from his front door and shot dead, a jury has decided that only one of the three men who stood trial for his murder will be held accountable.
Saleim Harrigan was convicted unanimously tonight for the 2020 killing of Nigel Christian, a verdict that came after a jury of five women and four men spent several hours wrestling with the evidence before returning to court. His co-accused, Wayne Thomas and Lasean Bully, were acquitted and walked out of court free men.
Lasean Bully, of Cashew Hill; Wayne Thomas, of Hatton; and Saleim Harrigan of Greenbay — were charged with killing Nigel Christian. Only Harrigan (far left) was found guilty
The decision caps a trial that gripped the country from the moment it opened on February 19th, running for more than two months and drawing on weeks of testimony, DNA evidence, FBI cellular mapping, and deeply contested claims about planted evidence and police integrity.
Nigel Christian
Earlier today, Justice Rajiv Persaud spent more than four hours guiding the jury through it all before sending them out to deliberate. At around 6pm, after four hours behind closed doors, they returned to say they needed more time. The final verdicts came after 7pm — unanimous on all three accused.
At the heart of the case was the afternoon of July 10th, 2020, when Christian was seized at gunpoint from his McKinnons home in broad daylight and killed hours later, his body discovered on a dirt road in Thibou’s. The murder of a man so well known and respected within the Customs Department shook the country and set in motion a prosecution that has taken the better part of half a decade to conclude.
Harrigan will now face sentencing. For his family, and for the family of Nigel Christian, tonight marks the end of a long and painful wait.
Sooo, what will happen to the “Crown Witness” now? Because he’s going to need protection against these accused murderers. The moment they get home and wash off the jail scent, they will be after him.
You can’t tell me only one peson is responsible?? The jury got this wrong!!
Jail scent? But this is such a profound remark. What will happen to them. Because he said some real scary stuff about them on that stand. Smh. So we might have two missing persons soon? Guess the jurors never thought about that. Waw!!
One convicted and two walk free? After all these years? This is hard to accept LORDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD
After all these years, some justice can finally be served. One of my questions tho, how many years will he get? Justice also depends on that since the other two man are walk free
No man thats wickedness. Justice for Nigel Christian. His family waited so long. His mother who saw him dragged out of the house. This is painful. No man!!!
Still believe that all three were included in this killing. And when Harrigan realise he’ll be the one paying for all, he will start to speak, may be too late
If I know Wendel Alexander well enough, he will be appealing this decision and hopefully encourage his client to spill his guts!
I can’t believe only one man was found guilty. This case shook the whole country
This is still not Justice. I don’t care what nobody says, two of Christian killers are walking free. You know how that would feel to a mother to see your child drag from home and killed minutes after? Mother’s Day is approaching and she still can’t smile bright. Now she has to be looking over her shoulders
Hard to celebrate when two men walked free. But at least one person will answer
People sat through weeks of evidence just for this outcome? Hard to accept. The jury had one job and many believe they didn’t deliver justice fully. This is why people lose confidence in the system. The jury’s verdict raises serious concerns.
Justice for Nigel. We must never forget what happened on July 10, 2020.
Imagine you and your friends plan murder and only you alone jail. Smh!!
I woulda start squeal one time, right inna the courtroom
Five years later and the nation is still asking questions. Nigel deserved justice
WTF. How they find one guilty and the other 2 not guilty. They were all culpable. I would like to hear the jury rational
Nah man… this nah make no sense at all. All them years, all that evidence, and only one get guilty? Something wrong somewhere
Man get kidnap and kill like that and only one person guilty? Nah man, Antigua people not stupid. The jury was weak and wicked the same way. That is madness
Nigel gone already. It now depend on the system to ensure he receives justice. And not even that they can do
Say what you want, but this verdict nah hitting right. Something off about the whole thing
I didn’t know one man could kidnap and Killa whole other person so easy
This verdict is shocking. Prayers for Nigel Christian’s family tonight
The system has spoken, but many Antiguans will struggle to understand this outcome.
This verdict makes no sense. The jury had a responsibility and many feel they fell short
One man can’t do all that alone. Everybody know that. This verdict raising plenty eyebrows
People going vex bad tonight. Cause this outcome just not making sense to plenty of us.
Something is not right with that case. What happen to the driver. He needed to be charged with conspiracy to murder. What kind of verdict is that nuh boy. Them jurors worse than them killers.
No respect to the process, but the jury’s decision leaves a bitter taste. Too many inconsistencies in this case for only one conviction. The jury had to see that. This verdict doesn’t bring closure. The jury’s decision feels like a missed opportunity for full justice…. So you are telling me a nation waited years, and the jury outcome still leaves doubt and frustration. The devil is in this justice system