St.Kitts murder accused wanted on drug charges in Guyana

Last Updated on Saturday, 26 December 2015, 21:00 by GxMedia

(ST. KITTS-NEVIS OBSERVER).-A man arrested for a cold murder case in St. Kitts is wanted by Guyana on drug, gun trafficking charges but authorities here cannot extradite him.

The 41-year-old St. Kitts native, Dexter “Pilikin” Somersall was on Wednesday (Jan 22) charged with the murder of28-year-old Leon “G-man” “Gravo” Westerman. The Stoney Grove resident was shot dead in Nevis in January, 2008.

Somersall, originally from Lime Kiln, Basseterre, is the third man to be charged in connection with that murder.

As it turns out, the man who has, for all accounts, been living in Prickley Pear Alley for some years, is wanted by the judicial authorities of Guyana for prosecution/to serve a sentence.

On May 30, 2010, Somersall, who carried the surname Lewis at the time, was arrested with Adrian Beckles when airport authorities discovered drugs, a gun and ammunition in their checked luggage at the Cheddi Jagan International, Guyana. The men were about to board a LIAT flight bound for St. Kitts.

They were jointly charged with possession of 1kg 109 grams of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, unlawful possession of a Magnum revolver, and unlawful possession of 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

The illicit items were found in Beckles’ luggage but he reportedly told police that Somersall had given them to him. A Police Prosecutor said in Somersall’s cautionary statement to police he admitted to giving the items to his travel companion.

They plead not guilty and were remanded to prison.

Reports are that Somersall was later granted bail but absconded from Guyana. He was tried in absentia and found guilty of the trafficking and possession charges.

Presently Somersall, under the name Dexter Sylvester Lewis, is on INTERPOL’s wanted persons’ list.

The Observer spoke to St. Kitts-Nevis Commissioner of Police CG Walwyn about the possibility of turning Somersall over to Guyanese authorities. Walwyn said, unfortunately, the system does not allow for St. Kitts to extradite him.

“We don’t have a Caricom extradition warrant in place so we can’t send him to Guyana. Also because of the fact that he was tried in absentia and therefore had no opportunity to defend himself, even though he was the one who jumped bail, the justice system here would not be able to turn him over.”

In the meantime Somersall will stay remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison until his murder trial.