'I'M NOT GUILTY, SIR!'By AZARD ALI Tuesday, October 13 2009
ANTON HAINSLEY BRUCE was found guilty yesterday of beating his two-and-a-half-year-old stepdaughter to death in a fit of anger because she ate snacks bought with money stolen from him. Justice Malcolm Holdip sentenced Bruce to death by hanging after the jury gave their verdict in the San Fernando First Assize Court.
Bruce, a 24-year-old chef of Couva, had been on trial for beating Kareema Roberts to death with the palm of his hand, on April, 8, 2009, to the extent that she suffered a ruptured liver and head injuries.
The incident took place in an apartment at Paradise Avenue, Couva where Bruce lived with Kareema’s mother Sharmiela Roberts, 24, in a common-law relationship.
Bruce admitted during the trial that he took on the responsibility of staying home to care for Kareema. Sharmiela had also brought her two younger siblings to the apartment to live.
Bruce testified before Holdip and a jury of eight men and four women that he took care of all three children and on that day he complained of missing $800. After making breakfast for the children, Bruce testified he accused them of stealing the money. He went to the nearby parlour to verify whether the children, Kareema, Jiel, five, and Jakiesha, seven, had in fact bought snacks there.
Bruce testified he returned to the apartment and slapped Jiel and Jakiesha. He said his hands were hurting but he also slapped Kareema. The little girl collapsed and he took her to the Couva District Health Facility but doctors there treated her for a viral infection.
Some four hours later, Bruce took Kareema to the hospital and upon her arrival doctors pronounced her dead. Forensic pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes said Kareema died from a laceration of the liver and head injuries. He also found 30 bruises about her body. Kareema was a mere 18 pounds in weight.
Bruce, however, testified he had no criminal intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to Kareema.
Senior State Attorney Angelica Teelucksingh, who prosecuted the case, called Kareema’s mother to the witness box and she testified how Bruce gave a different explanation to her about why he beat Kareema. When doctors called in the police, Bruce told investigators Kareema fell in the bathroom and struck her chin.
Teelucksingh also called Radica Leah Sookraj, who lived in an adjacent apartment, as a witness. She said she had asked Bruce on the day Kareema died about a bruise on the girl’s chin. “He told me she got the injury at the hospital. When I asked him how they treated it, he said doctors put soft candle,” Sookraj testified.
Sharmiela never returned to the court for the rest of the trial until the verdict yesterday. The court’s gallery remained empty as none of Bruce’s relatives ever attended hearings. He testified he lived at the St Michael Boys institution from the age of 12 until he was 18.
Holdip completed summation of the trial yesterday in which he told the jury they had the option to consider manslaughter having regard to Bruce’s defence that he had merely disciplined Kareema. After retiring for 85 minutes, the foreman requested further directions from the judge on the definition of murder and manslaughter. They returned one hour later and announced their verdict was guilty of murder.
Asked if he had anything to say on why he should not be sentenced to death, Bruce bent his head in the dock and said: “I’m not guilty of murder, Sir!”
Sharmiela cried as Holdip read the death sentence to Bruce. She told Newsday: “I am relieved everything is over now. I have a five-year-old son for him and I hope he is not going to hang.”
