A workmate of murder victim Colford Ferguson warned him to hide minutes before he was shot dead, the Supreme Court heard yesterday.

A statement from Ryan Furbert read out in court said he and Mr Ferguson were both sent to work at a site near the junction of Mangrove Bay Road and East Shore Road in Somerset on the day of the alleged murder.

Mr Furbert said he walked to the bank after they stopped for lunch and on the way back saw a man with a full-face helmet ride past him.

The rider saw him, turned around on East Shore Road and stopped at the intersection.

Mr Furbert said the man pointed at him and sped away.

He was frightened and phoned Mr Ferguson to warn him to hide inside the house they had been working in.

Mr Furbert hid in a shed near the house and heard footsteps followed by three shots.

He told police he tried to call Mr Ferguson again but there was no answer.

Mr Ferguson, 29, was shot while he worked at the Somerset construction site on February 4, 2011.

Khyri Smith-Williams, 27, is charged with premeditated murder and the use of a firearm to commit an indictable offence.

The defendant denies both charges.

Mr Furbert’s statement said he stayed hidden for up to 20 minutes before he fled, but was stopped by police a short distance away.

Another witness, Mr Ferguson’s cousin, said he ran to the scene of the shooting after being told that someone had heard gunshots.

He found Mr Ferguson on his back in a small bathroom at the house.

The witness added that he understood photographs of Mr Ferguson’s body had been spread on social media, but denied that he had taken the pictures.

Police officers later confirmed that Mr Ferguson was dead and that he appeared to have suffered gunshot wounds to his chest, upper arm and upper leg.

Police also found seven spent 9mm cartridges near the entrance to the building.

Mr Furbert’s statement said he had got into a fight with someone he understood to be associated with a West End gang in November 2010.

He explained that he received a call from a friend who asked to be picked up at White Hill Field in Sandys.

Mr Furbert saw a number of people sitting on a wall when he arrived at the field.

He added that as he rode past, one of them, whom he identified as Tre Simons, smiled at him.

Mr Furbert said the smile worried him, but he rode past again to try and find his friend.

He said Mr Simons then stepped out and tore a $1,600 chain from his neck as he went past. Mr Furbert said he got off the bike to fight Mr Simons, who punched him in the face.

He took off his helmet to use as a weapon, but left after those with Mr Simons “jumped up”.

Mr Furbert told police he and Mr Simons exchanged words, and he was warned to “stay out of Country”.

He later contacted his brother and the pair went out to look for Mr Simons.

They were unable to find him, but found his motorcycle and battered it with a length of pipe.

He added that he and Mr Simons had an argument at KFC in Hamilton about the stolen chain a month before Mr Ferguson was killed.

The trial continues.

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