There were several moments of contradictions and strange twists as the trial of a man, who was brought before the courts on a robbery charge, began in the St. Ann’s Bay Resident Magistrate court on Thursday, May 14.
The court, presided over by resident magistrate Andrea Thomas, first heard through the evidence of the complainant, Kimberly Boswell, that on November 20, 2014 at about 1:30 p.m. she was held up and robbed by the accused man, Rondolf Campbell of approximately $74,000, one Huawei cellular phone, an apple iPhone, the company’s alcatel cellular phone and her office keys. All these items were contained in her hand bag which was allegedly stolen by the accused Campbell.
Contradictions in evidence given
The clerk of court led the complainant’s evidence in the matter. There were several instances of contradictions throughout her testimony. The complainant, Kimberly Boswell told the court that on November 20, she was closing the door of the Lime dealer store in Runaway Bay, where she worked, at about 12 noon. She was intending to purchase soup because she felt ill. She was approached by Rondolf Campbell, who she had known by the name of Alex. The complainant further claimed that she had met Campbell one day in August when he had come to the store to enquire about a phone. Campbell later asked her for a phone call from her cellular phone, but that was a plan she alleged that Campbell used to acquire her number. The complainant alleged that Campbell has been “stalking” her ever since that period with texts and calls, all of which she said she ignored.
CAR DRAMA
Ms Boswell told the court that on the day in question the accused Campbell had trailed her to the restaurant and continued to pursue her to a bar. In an attempt to elude him, she ran out of the bar into a car she saw but Campbell caught hold of her and grabbed her handbag. The bag contained the company’s money, $74,000, her two cell phones and her keys. Ms Boswell further told the court that she was afraid to retrieve her items from him as a woman in the car told her not to pursue him as she did not know if he was armed.
The complainant further maintained that Campbell had taken her bags with her belongings and he had the office phone in his possession. When the clerk of court asked Ms Boswell how the accused Campbell got the office phone, she said that Campbell had come to the store that morning and took up the company’s phone and refused to give it back. This revelation startled RM Andrea Thomas. Ms Boswell further went on to state that Campbell was there until the time she closed the store, having realized he would not return the company’s phone. She went on to add that she was planning on doing a SIM replacement on the company’s phone because she did not want anything to do with him. These statements further elicited facial responses suggesting RM Thomas was alarmed.
According to Boswell, the bag was subsequently returned to an Ocho Rios Lime dealer store and picked up by her father Rupert Boswell. She told the court the bag only contained a receipt book and the office keys. Rondolf Campbell was later taken into custody after an operation carried out by officers connected to the Runaway Police Station. The two missing cellphones were also retrieved. The complainant told the court that she needed the money stolen and that she has lost her job as a result of the robbery.
FAMILY MATTERS
RM Thomas indicated to the accused Rondolf Campbell that he could cross examine the complainant since he did not have a lawyer in the matter. It was in the cross examinations that more contradictions and revelations were revealed to the court. The accused man told the court that he was from Portland and stayed back in St. Ann, because he and Boswell had become acquainted and had been communicating often. The complainant, Ms Boswell did admit that she replied to the accused’s messages. This was another clear contradiction as she had maintained that she ignored his text messages and phone calls up to the time of the alleged robbery. The accused man was adamant that both had been in a relationship and was able to mention family details of the complainant and even how he had carried her son to school on his bike. “Your Honor, how can a man that she claims is a stalker know so much about her? How mi know her house burned down? I took the bag yes, Your Honor but I did not steal any money,” argued the accused Campbell.
NIGHT CLUBBING
“I did tell him that my house burned down, Your Honor, but all he is telling is lies,” retorted Ms Boswell.
Further allegations by the accused were made as he claimed that after he turned over the bag to the Ocho Rios Lime dealer store, it was at that point the investigating officer had called to say a sum of $63,000 was contained in the bag. He also said the complainant, Ms Boswell had given him both phones to fix prior to the incident and both had gone out to several clubs together prior to the alleged robbery.
A father’s testimony
After a one hour break, the father of the complainant, Rupert Boswell appeared to present his testimony. He revealed to the court that he retrieved his daughter’s bag from the LIME store and there was only a receipt book and keys found in the bag. However, this evidence was not in line with the statement given by him to an officer at the Runaway Bay Police Station. The statement mentioned that the bag contained the office keys, receipt book and an alcatel cellular phone. Rupert Boswell told RM Thomas he could not recall mentioning this to any officer, but agreed to his signing of the statement. He said his daughter told him that $80,000 and phones went missing from the bag; another contradiction revealed.
Mr. Boswell did go on to give credence to the accused man’s mention, I his cross examination, of the family members.
After the completion of the complainant’s father’s testimony, RM Andrea Thomas informed the investigating officer in the matter that he is to get all his evidence material prepared for the next court date. In addition, he is to inform the other officer in the matter of the date. RM Thomas went on to set a further trial date for June 5 in a case that leaves more questions than answers. The accused, Rondolf Campbell was further remanded into custody.
