Former church member recalls being stabbed after pastor said he had to die

A former member of the flock led by the now-deceased church leader Dr Kevin Smith said he had been perplexed when the pastor told him that he would have to be killed.

“When that was said to you, how did you feel?” lead prosecutor Latoya Bernard asked.

The witness, Corey James, a debt collector and pig farmer who worked closely with Smith, replied: “Honestly, I was confused when he mentioned that to me.”

The witness further testified that he was attacked and stabbed with a knife in his back after Smith told him that his throat had to be cut.

The father of two, whose wife and children had gone to the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries after they were told that a flood was coming, shared the chilling details while giving evidence in the case against Andre Ruddock.

Ruddock is charged with the October 17, 2021 murder of 39-year-old Taneka Gardner during an alleged sacrificial ritual at the Montego Bay-based church.

James also testified that another member, his cousin-in-law Michael Brown, was killed that day after Smith ripped his dialysis tube from his neck and left him to bleed out.

James, recounting the incident, told the court that he was at home cooking and resting, as no regular Sunday service had been planned. Smith had summoned members to a special service the previous day.

He said, however, that he was awakened by his wife and learnt that the pastor had posted on Facebook, informing members to come to the church because a flood was coming.

He said he, his daughter, his wife and her friends quickly got ready and travelled to the church.

According to James, the group brought white sheets as instructed by Smith.

He testified that upon reaching the church, he saw the pastor at the door and, after entering, sat on the floor after being instructed to cover his head with the sheet and not to look at the pastor.

Although the church had more than 300 members, he said there were about 12 people inside at the time, including Ruddock, whom he described as the pastor’s bodyguard and security guard.

James said Smith subsequently gave instructions concerning food items, such as tissue and sanitary napkins, and other objects, which were thrown outside the front of the church after Smith said they were from Babylon and would not be needed.

While throwing out the goods along with other men, James said a bottle fell from a table and broke.

He recalled Smith saying that he had received a revelation and that those on the opposite side of the bottle would have to die in order for them to enter the kingdom.

The prosecutor then asked James, in a hushed tone, what side he was on, to which he said, “the opposite side”.

“Dr Smith then said to me in order for me to come over on the opposite side, my throat would have to be cut,” James testified.

James said he became confused after hearing that and spoke to the pastor, who told him that he was a demon and should get out of the sanctuary.

He said a member, Kevon Plummer, approached him with a knife and put the knife under his chin, and he used his finger to push the knife away.

He testified that Smith subsequently instructed him to leave.

As he was walking through the door, James said he felt as though someone had punched him in the middle-right side of his back.

He said he then felt something running down his back and, after wiping the area with his hand, saw blood.

James testified that he ran from the building.

He said he asked Ruddock to help him tie the cloth around his back, but Ruddock refused, and another male member assisted him instead.

The witness also told the court that people, including members of his family, were outside the church compound and wanted to enter, but the gate was closed.

He said people outside were shouting, “Israel God is Israel King”, while he remained near the boardwalk.

James further testified that he heard objects smashing inside the building before seeing a side door open and Smith emerge.

He said Smith walked to the side of the building and looked down towards the boardwalk before calling him and some other men who were on the outside to help clean up the church.

The court heard that before he and the men went inside, they were told their clothing was filthy and that they had to remove their clothes. When they went inside, Smith told them to cover their nakedness, and they did.

Asked why he remained at the church, James said he did so because his family was still there.

Earlier in the trial, Gardner’s father, Septimus, testified that he had witnessed the post-mortem examination of his daughter and had identified her body at the morgue.

He said he was informed about her death a day after the incident.

However, under cross-examination from attorney Venice Brown, he denied that his daughter was involved in a relationship with Smith.

Smith died about a week after the church incident in a motor vehicle crash while being transported to Kingston to face charges.

Carolyn Wright is also prosecuting the case. Anthony Williams is also representing Ruddock.

The matter will resume on Monday before Justice Leighton Pusey and the seven-member jury.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com