Williams, who is the Prime Minister's law partner returned to work last year, but has not given any public accounts of the ordeal he faced on that night. Neither has he spoken about his road to recovery.

Well, that silence was broken yesterday when the first trial without jury started in the courtroom of Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl Taitt - Vidal indicated to the court that she intends to call 15 witnesses on behalf of the prosecution. She called 3 of those witnesses Yesterday, including Williams who laid down the foundation of the case, by presenting the details of the crime.

Williams spoke almost clinically as he narrated the event from the time he left his office until when he was shot and slumped to the sidewalk.

At the point where he spoke about the doctors at Belize Healthcare Partners trying to extract the bullet, however, he became emotional. He struggled with describing that procedure of the doctors having their hands in his body searching for it.

Williams said that on May 31, 2010, he was leaving his office at 7:20 when he exited the Barrow and Williams building with a security guard.

Williams said that he proceeded unto Albert Street East, where he had parked his vehicle.

He and the security guard were speaking and walking to vehicle when he noticed 2 young men on separate bicycles ride up to them. They were riding slowly, and they rode past him.

Williams said that the men stopped their bicycle very near to a street lamp which was providing ample lighting for him to see them.

According to Williams, the men got off their bicycles; one of them threw the bike on the ground and tackled the security guard. While he wrestled the guard, the next man held the bicycle handle in one of his hand, and in the next hand he had a firearm.

He said that he froze when he saw the firearm in the man's hand. He then addressed the man saying something to the effect, "We are both unarmed; we have no firearm."

That man already had the gun pointed at him, took aim and fired. He then he heard the gunshot blast, and he felt the bullet enter the left side of his abdomen. He fell to the ground, and was still able to see the gunman, who got unto his bicycle and rode off. He said that he didn't see what happened to the other man and the security guard after that.

Williams told the court that the entire incident lasted about 2 minutes, and he had the gunman in sight the entire time. Nothing obstructed his view of the area.

He was then rushed to the Belize Healthcare Partners Limited, where the bullet was extracted from his abdomen after some difficulties, which he was conscious for. He was then flown out of the country by air ambulance where he was treated Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami.

He said that when he returned to Belize, on September 28, 2010, at 1:30, he was called to attend at the Police Department's Eastern Division located on Queen Street for an ID Parade.

He was taken into a room, where 9 men were presented to him, with similar features. He said that after close examination, he recognized #7; he spoke that number into the intercom that the police had set up, pointed him out, and then left the station.

At that point DDP Cheryl Taitt-Vidal attempted to get a dock Identification but Chief Justice Kenneth Benjamin refused to have it allowed because Akeem Thurton is unrepresented. She then ended her line of questioning at which point CJ Benjamin allowed Thurton to cross-examine Williams. Thurton put it to Williams that the man who shot him is Ricky Valencia/Valencio, and that person is already dead.

Williams said, "I saw you shoot me."

Thurton refused to allow Williams to point him out as the gunman. He said, "I am not a street man. I play sports; I play football. I have no record, I didn't shoot you, Mr. Williams. I wouldn't do that."

Williams again insisted, "I saw you shoot me. You were the one with the gun in your hand."

Thurton again said, "Ricky Valencio shot you, Mr. Williams, not me. He threatened my life, and tried to set me up. Ricky Valencia is the one who shot you, and he is dead."

CJ Benjamin ended the cross-examination because it was getting repetitive, and he released Williams from the stand.

There are several important points to note: firstly, Ricky Valencia was missing from the proceedings; he was murdered just last week Wednesday. Secondly, Akeem Thurton, who was given Yesterday as the deadline to find an attorney, will remain unrepresented. And finally, this trial will be the litmus test to see how effective a trial without a sitting jury will be in Belize's Judicial process.