crime

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Sixth murder in 5 days; broad day light shooting claims another youth

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Another young man has been gunned down in St. Kitts, mere hours after two overnight murders.

Reports indicate that 25 year old Gavin Rogers was gunned down just before midday today, February 14, in Old Road- a community still grappling with the shock of a double murder on February 8.

Roger’s murder has further taxed the emotional reserves of Kittitians and Nevisians who are grappling with the reality of three murders in the less than 18 hours and six homicides in a five day span.

Earlier this morning, sometime after 2, Joel “Bouyaka” Phillip was gunned down inside his home after gunmen allegedly broke down his door.

A few hours earlier, Vere “Stiff Jacket” Amory was shot dead. Reports indicate that sometime before 7 p.m. (February 13), Amory was playing a game of domino when a gunman approached and shot him.

The Police are encouraging anyone with information about any of the murders to come forward and have given the assurance that the process will be dealt with in strictest confidence.

Up to press time, no one has been held in connection to any of the recent murders.

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Police say cousins were murdered by masked gunmen

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Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 9, 2019 – Police in St. Kitts on Saturday said two cousins killed on Friday night were murdered by masked gunmen.

A police statement confirmed the murder of two men in the Green Tree area of Old Road in the shooting that took place just after 10 p.m. on Friday February 8.

“Thirty-three-year-old Musa “Ziggy” Warner and 22-year-old Shakeem Warner were shot multiple times about the body by masked gunmen,” police said.

Both Musa and Shakeem were transported to the J. N. France Hospital by the Emergency Medical Service, where they later succumbed to their injuries.

“Members of the Crime Scene Unit visited and processed the scene. They collected items of evidential value,” police said.

“Investigations into the matter are ongoing. Persons with information regarding this incident are urged to contact the Violent Crime Unit by dialing 467-1887 or 467-1888, 662-3468 or by calling the crime hotline at 707

Pandemonium in Court; magistrate and prosecution at odds

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St. Kitts and Nevis Magistrate Court is in turmoil after Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. Valston Graham stopped his staff from appearing before Magistrate Donna Harris, a sister of St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Dr. the Hon. Timothy Harris.

The incident has seemingly underscored strained relations between members of the legal fraternity and the magistrate, spanning years.

According to an eyewitness, the matters on Monday morning, February 4, escalated when Magistrate Donna Harris instructed five co-accused who were appearing before the Court for the first time to plead.

However, this procedure is wrong since these were indictable matters.

Crown Counsel Mr. Teshaun Vasquez tried on several occasions to bring this to the attention of Magistrate Harris, but she refused to hear him.

Harris ordered Vasquez to sit and eventually ordered him to leave her court room.

It was reported that DPP Graham after receiving a report of the matter made the decision that the Crown Counsel’s ejection was unlawful and therefore no prosecutor or court orderly will attend Magistrate Harris’ Court until further notice.

It is understood that DPP Graham has written to acting senior magistrate Reynold Benjamin requesting an urgent meeting to have the matter ventilated.

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Omax Bye acquitted of Pizza shop owner’s murder

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Omax Bye has been acquitted of the murder of Gregory Mills.

A jury returned a verdict of not guilty (10 to 2) earlier this afternoon, January 25.

Bye, a free man now, walked out to the embrace of a number of his “friends” who were waiting in the Independence Square area.

Police maintained a heavy presence around the Lee L Moore Judicial Complex throughout this week, as the case was being tried.

Gregory Mills, a young Pizza shop owner, was gunned down on May 9, 2017, in the Gillards Meadow area.

A young lady, who apparently was in the car with him at the time and was seen as the only eyewitness, did not testify during the trial.

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One of the two men shot and injured in the New Year’s Day (January 1, 2019) shooting incident in Nevis has succumbed to his injuries.

According to a reliable source 28-year-old Jelani Liburd of Craddock Road, Nevis, died at the Alexandra Hospital on Government Road, Charlestown around 1 p.m. Tuesday, January 22.

Liburd and 22-year-old Keon Moore of Bath Plain were attacked by unknown assailants while in a motor car on Stoney Grove.

Moore and Liburd had sustained gunshot injuries about their bodies after they were attacked by unknown assailants while seated in a car.

The matter is now being treated as the first murder for St. Kitts and Nevis for 2019.

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First illegal firearm confiscated for 2019

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The Police have confiscated an illegal firearm and two persons have been arrested in relation to the find as the security forces continue in their fight to rid the streets of the dangerous contraband.

The discovery was made on January 19.

In press release issued on Sunday, January 20, the Police reported “one Smith and Wesson pistol with five (5) rounds of ammunition was found in a vehicle along Victoria Road during an early morning search operation.”

No update has been given as yet as whether the two individuals have been charged.
Almost 40 illegal firearms were confiscated by the Police in 2018.

Despite the regular firearm finds, there have been increasing public concerns over the alarming rates of gun related crime and violence in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Last Saturday’s find was the first reported illegal firearm confiscation for 2019.

The Police have admitted that two Caucasian visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis, who were caught on camera repeatedly assaulting two police offers

The Police have admitted that two Caucasian visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis, who were caught on camera repeatedly assaulting two police offers

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The Police have admitted that two Caucasian visitors to St. Kitts and Nevis, who were caught on camera repeatedly assaulting two police officers at the Marriott Hotel, at the start of 20159, should have been charged and brought before the courts.

The admission came yesterday Wednesday from the Acting Commissioner of Police Hilroy Brandy.

The acting Commissioner also revealed that disciplinary action has been brought against three officers, who did not perform their duties as is mandated by law, in relation to the same incident.

In response to a question of whether the three officers were on the job still, the Acting
Commissioner responded:

Commissioner Brandy showered praise on one of his officers who helped to get the situation under control.

Acting Commissioner Brandy indicated that no member of the Police Force was happy to see the video being circulated on social media

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High Court Judge orders government to pay over EC$60,000 to ex-LIME worker for wrongful arrest

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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, November 29, 2018 – One of two men, who were employees of telecommunications provider LIME at the time of their wrongful arrest, has been awarded over EC$60,000 by a High Court Judge.

Her Ladyship Justice Pearletta Lanns handed down her ruling on November 15 in the civil suit brought against the Attorney General by Sylvester Anthony Law Firm on behalf of Romero Bowers.

Justice Lanns ordered the Government to pay Bowers, EC$15,000 for Assault and Battery; EC$6,000 for Unlawful Search; EC$10,000 for Unlawful Arrest and False Imprisonment; EC$20,000 for Aggravated Damages and EC$10,000 for Compensatory Damages (for defamation), a total of EC$61,000.

The Government was also ordered to pay prescribed costs to his lawyers.

The two men were arrested by police on August 25, 2015 in what was said to be a joint intelligence-led operation carried out by members of the SSU, Drug Squad, SIU and Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise Department.

One of the two LIME employees went into a local courier to collect a package and when his co-worker returned to pick him up with the package, they were both by police and handcuffed.

Photos and video recordings of the men in handcuffs and in the back of a police vehicle went viral causing embarrassment to the men and their families.

A search of the package of the ex-Lime worker did not contain drugs.

The person who another package was addressed to was later held for the drugs which had an estimated wholesale value of EC$56,060 and a street value of EC$168,180. The person arrested has been charged but the case has not been called.