Ruddock testifies he saw Kevin Smith slash Taneka Gardner’s throat

Andre Ruddock testified on Monday that he saw deceased church leader Kevin Smith hold Taneka Gardner by the head and slash her throat at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries on October 17, 2021.

The 36-year-old farmer is on trial in the Home Circuit Court for Gardner’s murder and is giving evidence in his own defence.

Ruddock told the court that he was bringing his cows into the church compound between 5:00 pm and 6:00 pm on the day in question when he witnessed the incident.

“On my arrival, once I entered the pedestrian gate, I saw Kevin Smith and a lot of people outside,” Ruddock said.

He said Smith was standing near a retaining wall with a knife in his hand.

Asked by his attorney, Anthony Williams, what happened next, Ruddock said: “Taneka Gardner was kneeling down, he hold Ms Gardner by the head and slashed her throat.”

“You saw that?” Williams asked.

“Yes, I was at the pedestrian gate,” the father of one replied.

In further testimony, Ruddock said Smith later told him, while they were travelling together in a police car to Kingston, that he and Gardner had been in a relationship since 2019 and that she had contracted HIV.

“He says that the reason why he done what he have done,” Ruddock testified.

According to Ruddock, Smith also told him to accept responsibility for the murder charge so that Smith could go free. He further alleged that Smith threatened to crash the vehicle, killing everyone inside, if he disclosed who had killed Gardner and Michael Brown.

Ruddock said he and Smith argued over his refusal to remain silent.

Returning to the events at the church, Ruddock testified that after slashing Gardner’s throat, Smith moved away from her body as blood flowed.

He said Smith then went onto the boardwalk, and a large number of police officers and soldiers arrived at the compound shortly afterwards.

Ruddock said he saw Smith with a firearm, which he used to fire at the security personnel.

He testified that when the shooting began, he dropped to the ground and took cover beside a column at the gate.

The defendant also recounted seeing another church member, a junior minister in training, run to his van, retrieve a firearm and return to the boardwalk, where he stood near Smith.

Ruddock said the junior minister subsequently fired at the police, who returned fire, hitting him and causing him to fall.

He testified that Smith then reloaded his firearm and continued shooting.

Ruddock claimed that the police were not returning fire at Smith but were instead shooting at the junior minister.

He also testified that two other men, identified as Kian Ramsay and Kevon Plummer, attacked the police and were shot.

Asked whether he had seen the men acting aggressively towards the police, Ruddock answered in the affirmative.

Ruddock said the main gate to the church compound was locked and that soldiers removed plywood boards to gain entry.

Once inside, the security personnel searched the premises and apprehended several church members, including Ruddock.

- Tanesha Mundle

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