‘Lil Man’ not guilty of murdering niece
Kevin Rankin
Kevin Rankin

EIGHTEEN-year-old Kevin Rankin, called ‘Lil Man’, exited the High Court a free man Tuesday afternoon after a 12-member jury found him not guilty of the October 21, 2013 murder of his two-year-old niece, Kimani Phillips.The trial took place before Justice Priya Sewnarine-Beharry and after the unanimous verdict was announced, Rankin stood in the prisoner’s dock with outstretched hands still clutching a Bible and said “Yes”.

Justice Sewnarine-Beharry told him he was free to go. An overly excited Rankin ran out of the courtroom, kicking off his shoes in the process before sprinting down South Road with his relatives in pursuit. Shortly before the Judge told Rankin he was free to go, relatives raised their hands in the air and said “Praise God” after which they were ushered out of the courtroom.

Meanwhile, the mother of the deceased child, Venice Phillips was disheartened and was in shock over the not guilty verdict. During the trial, only one police witness testified and he told the court that he was just the arresting officer and he did not assist in the probe at all.

Several other witnesses testified including Rankin’s mother, an aunt, a cousin and the mother of the deceased child. The child was left in Rankin’s care by his cousin Kiana Primo after his [Rankin] mother, who usually takes care of the child, went out on an errand that day.

Rankin told the court he cleaned and changed his niece after she defecated and it was then that she told him her belly was hurting, after which he called out to Primo.

Rankin maintained his innocence and told the court that he did not trouble Kimani and it was his cousin Primo, who rubbed the child after she appeared to be unconscious. He said his cousin also administered CPR on the toddler.

Defence Counsel Sandil Kissoon told the court that the prosecution’s case was unrepresented and no police investigation was done to indicate whether the death of the child was ever treated as murder.

He said the evidence presented by the prosecution was directed to obtain conviction by omission because the police never visited the crime scene, nor did they interview any witnesses.

He further added that the police did not question neighbours, did not take photos of the crime scene, or the contents of the house in question, and no inquiry was made of how the child received injuries to the head.

Meanwhile, state prosecutor Narissa Leander in closing said they have proved that the accused was the person that inflicted the injuries causing the death of Kimani Phillips noting that the post mortem report by Dr. Nehaul Singh indicated that anal penetration and the multiple injuries to the abdomen happened at the same time.

She explained that the accused inflicted the injuries with intent to kill the child and their case was potent, overwhelming and compelling.

Leander stated that witness Kiana Primo testified that she changed her statement in an effort to protect her favourite cousin, Kevin Rankin and asked the jury to consider the evidence before them since they do not have a perfect case.

Three months after the incident, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) recommended that Rankin be charged for murder and he was re-arrested and arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court.

It was reported that Kimani Phillips was the victim of a brutal sexual assault (sodomy) after it was observed that her anus was enlarged and she had an old bite mark on her neck.

However, a post mortem revealed Kimani Phillips died from hemorrhage and shock due to multiple abdominal injuries.

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