Defendant was at the scene of the crime – Prosecutor’s main witness

Ex-GDF rank’s trial

– while accused claims she had good relations with murdered housewife

As the High Court trial of former Guyana Defence Force (GDF) Private Abiola Jacobs nears its end, Samantha Sabbatt who narrowly escaped an alleged attack on her life on Thursday testified via Skype from London, England, to what she witnessed on the night that Agricola, Great Georgetown housewife, Donna Taylor

was murdered.
Sabbatt was an overseas British guest of the Taylors at the time of the housewife’s demise while Jacobs was the estranged girlfriend of Taylor’s son Bertrum Taylor, Jr. She admitted that she had an intimate relationship with her friend’s son at the time she was staying there and that Jacobs was kind to her whenever she visited Bertrum Jr.
Recounting the events of January 31, 2014, when Taylor’s motionless body was found, Sabbatt told the jury that she was in the bedroom of the upper flat of the home when she heard footsteps, voices and a male later shouting for her to open the door, moments after the lights were switched off.
Knowing that it was only her and Donna Taylor at home, the star witness stated that she remained still and quiet and refused to comply.
She said that she looked up through the lattice work at the top of the bedroom wall and saw the defendant about six feet away and that they stared at each other for about five seconds. Sometime after, the accused walked off and Sabbatt said the

lights came on and she jumped through the window into the verandah and sustained injuries in a bid to save her life. On February 1, 2014, Sabbatt recalled attending a confrontation with Jacobs where she told her: “Sweet girl, you never saw me.” The witness stressed that she never told Bertrum to break up with “Abby”, a named by which Jacobs was known.
Under cross-examination by the defendant’s lawyer, Adrian Thompson, Sabbatt repeated several times that she did not fabricate her story after the Attorney disputed her recollection of events. Thompson suggested that the witness could not have made out whom she saw on the night of the attack as the lights were off but the witness highlighted that the street lights were bright enough for her to make out that it was Jacobs’ face see saw and her outline in shadow.
Following the conclusion of the star witness’ evidence, State Counsel Mandell Moore announced that the prosecution was not calling any other witness. As such, Jacobs led her defence via an unsworn statement from the witness box, which meant that she was not allowed to be cross-examined.
From her standpoint, she and Donna Taylor had a good relationship and were friends even after the relationship with the woman’s son ended. Jacobs told the 12-member jury that she last saw the woman alive on January 29, 2014, at the woman’s home. She maintained her story that on February 1, 2014, she received a phone call informing her of what transpired, noting that she later went to the Taylors and saw Bertrum crying.
After seeing other family members, she went outside and Police approached her and questioned her about her whereabouts. Jacobs claimed that after being taken away for questioning, an officer shouted at her and verbally abused her and went through her mobile phone when she was being questioned at the Police station. All the while, she maintained her innocence as she concluded her testimony before the jury and presiding Judge James Bovell-Drakes.
On that fateful night, Taylor was discovered with her throat slit and hands behind her and her shirt wrapped around her neck. The jury had been told that Taylor’s daughter, Marcelle Collymore, the accused Abiola Jacobs and her mother had a fight on the day of her mother’s demise. This was also confirmed in the evidence of Police Superintendent Joel David who testified that Jacobs informed him that she spoke with Taylor on the day of her death. Superintendent David had also corroborated that the survivor of the attack; Samantha Sabbatt, had placed Jacobs at the scene of the crime.
Justice Bovell Drakes adjourned the matter to Monday when the accused will know her fate.