St Thomas farmer charged for chopping death of neighbour freed

A 37-year-old St Thomas farmer who was charged with the chopping death of his neighbour who freed in the parish court on Monday after the judge upheld submissions that he acted in self defence.

The judge also upheld arguments that Marvin McEwan did not have a case to answer.

He was represented by King's Counsel Peter Champagnie and attorney-at-law Patrice Riley.

The deceased, Kuwaite Wright, was fatally chopped during a domestic dispute on November 9, 2023.

Allegations were that on the day of the incident, a resident heard the deceased shouting that someone was about to kill him.

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The resident came out of his home about an hour later and saw Wright's body with what appeared to be chop wounds.

It was reported that before the police went to the scene, McEwan went to the police station and made a report that he was attacked by the deceased and that he chopped him in self defence.

He also took the police to where the body was and two machetes were found at the scene.

The attorneys submitted that from the outset and in the absence of any eyewitness, the allegations did not disclose a case for the accused to answer to a charge of murder and that there was no evidence to displace self defence.

The parish judge upheld the submissions and freed McEwan.

- Barbara Gayle