The seventh prosecution witness in the murder trial of the late Lewellyn Brent, Atty. Kulee C. Varflay, Chief Superintendent of the Crimes Services Department at the Liberia National Police (LNP), has linked the three defendants—Nathan Clement, Victor Kimmie, and Benedict Kennedy—to the crime of murder based on the investigation conducted.
Superintendent Varflay stated that during their investigation at the crime scene, they discovered that two of the three men broke into Brent’s residence through a window while the third defendant, Benedict Kennedy, kept watch for any intruders.
Varflay explained that the defendants allegedly conspired against Brent, who suffered a brutal death after Kimmie and his cousin, Nathan Clement, entered the victim’s home and physically assaulted him, inflicting severe wounds to his head and causing him to bleed profusely. Meanwhile, Benedict Kennedy remained outside, acting as a lookout.
Varflay mentioned that Clement and Kimmie, assisted by Kennedy, used a scaffold found beside the window to reach the window bars, which they removed to gain entry into the victim’s apartment.
The investigation revealed that the defendants conspired to enter the deceased’s apartment through the window before accessing a warehouse where they attempted to steal a sealed carton belonging to Brent. However, while Kimmie was carrying the items, he was intercepted by James Moses, a neighbor of Lewellyn Brent, which caused Kimmie to abandon the carton.
During the investigation, Varflay indicated that the defendants admitted to committing the crime. He stated that two of the defendants entered the house while one remained outside to monitor the situation. As a result of the investigation, all three defendants were charged with murder and criminal conspiracy.
In September 2024, defendant Kimmie, who lived nearby, allegedly conspired with another individual, defendant Kalowee, to steal property from Lewellyn Brent’s apartment. Varflay noted that a Samsung cellphone belonging to Brent was stolen during the attack but was later retrieved by the police; Kimmie was identified as the person who handed over the phone. However, Brent’s laptop and $750 in cash stolen from the apartment have not been recovered.
Mr. Brent was allegedly murdered at his Central Matadi residence on September 27, 2024. The trial in this case is set to continue on Monday, May 26, 2025, with the prosecution’s eighth witness scheduled to appear.
