…at Five Star Backdam
Marlon Marion Freeman, who was for the past several weeks on trial for murder, walked out of court a free man after a 12-member jury unanimously found him not guilty on Monday.
Freeman was accused of murdering miner Timothy Adams at Turtle Creek, Five Star Backdam, North West District (NWD) on December 22, 2013. The jury considered evidence presented by the prosecution on the allegation that Freeman killed Adams before stealing his gold, following a confrontation between the two.
Despite several weeks of trial and many witnesses, the jury contended otherwise, returning its verdict after some two hours of deliberations. After the accused was freed, he embraced his relatives at the High Court in Georgetown.
This publication understands that following one of the court hearings earlier this month, a male relative of the deceased miner allegedly threatened Freeman, reportedly indicating that he would be killed if he is freed of the charge. The Judge was informed and statements pertaining to this allegation were provided to investigators.
Meanwhile, when Freeman was freed, he told this publication that he was glad to be a free man. He also claimed that he was “set up” for the murder by another miner. When presiding Judge, Justice James Bovell-Drakes told him he was “free to go”, Freeman thanked the jury for returning a not-guilty verdict.
His lawyer, Folio Richards had called Wendy, Kellon and Sylvester Freeman as witnesses to support her client’s case.
The prosecution’s case was built on a Police caution statement, wherein it was cited that Freeman killed Adams, because he thought the miner was going to pull a gun after he had confronted him over money that was owed to him.
Police Detective Corporal Bryan James had testified that in giving the caution statement – which he had penned for the accused – Freeman said he first went to work with his uncle at Five Star Backdam, but after they “got wrong”, he went to work at Gavin Blacks’ mining camp.
According to the caution statement, Freeman, a pork-knocker, was promised G$5000 per day by Blacks, but after three weeks had passed, he was paid only G$30,000. He had enquired from Blacks about his money, and sometime after lunch on the day in question, he bought a “piece of weed” and then saw Adams coming to the camp about 15 minutes later.
According to the caution statement, Freeman also enquired of Adams about money he too owed him, saying: “Big man, wam to me money?”
“I see he go to he waist, and I didn’t know if he had a gun or wah, but I had a spoon which I sharpen and I just jook he by he neck and he fall down. After I see he ain’t moving, I get nervous,” the Police claimed the defendant told them.
It was said that he then allegedly left the scene. The caution statement then cited Freeman as saying that the gold he later gave a female was not taken from the deceased man, but it was gold that he had in his possession.
When Adams’ relatives heard the verdict, they were stunned. One female was even seen sobbing after hearing that Freeman was acquitted.
The miner’s cause of death was given as haemorrhage and shock, compounded by blunt force trauma to the head.
