The boat was being rocked by a fierce storm and so the six Nigerian Christian refugees began praying for the bad weather to cease. The captain of the boat, instead, accused the Christians of inciting the storm with their prayers.
He and others then allegedly beat the Christians before throwing them overboard into the sea where they drowned.
One body was found off the coast of Granada.
Alain N.B. has denied all charges. His lawyer has said that testimonies from witnesses are inconsistent.
The prosecution, however, said that the captain “was aware that the victims could not possibly survive and that they would die, either by drowning, from the cold, or from the physical injuries they had suffered. He was aware of the low temperature, the rough seas and the great distance from the coast and the absence of any nearby boats which could rescue them,” and yet he went through with throwing them overboard.