[UPDATED] Cop charged with PC Gilkes’ murder

Black Immigrant Daily News

The content originally appeared on: Trinidad and Tobago Newsday

PC Kristian Genty. Photo courtesy TTPS

A police officer has been charged with the murder of PC Clarence Gilkes and another charged with shooting at an unarmed man with intent to cause harm.

Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, gave investigators the green light on Friday night to charge PC Khristian Genty with murder and shooting with intent to harm Jehlano Romney and to charge WPC Crystal Williams-Bowman with shooting at Romney with intent to cause harm.

WPC Crystal Williams-Bowman. Photo courtesy TTPS

A third officer, Cpl Kerwin Dominique, who provided crucial evidence to investigator, was released without charge.

Genty and Williams-Bowman, who were last assigned to the Western Division Task Force, were charged at the St Joseph Police Station early Saturday morning. Williams-Bowman was released on $500,000 bail pending her court appearance on Monday. Genty is expected to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate virtually on Monday.

His lawyers Israel Khan, SC, Ulric Skerritt and Arissa Maharaj intend to make an application for him to be released on bail pending the outcome of the matter.

Gilkes, 44, of La Resource Road, D’Abadie, and a member of the Western Division Task Force, was among 12 officers who responded to a report of men armed with rifles at Richplain Road, Diego Martin on April 22.

PC Clarence Gilkes

Gilkes was with three other officers, including Genty and Williams-Bowman, when they confronted Romney on a flight of steps. Romney claimed he was unarmed and that Gilkes and two other officers opened fire without warning but he managed to dodge the bullets.

Gilkes was shot from behind to the neck and collapsed while Romney ran off. The injured officer was taken for treatment but subsequently died. Romney later gave a statement to the Police Complaints Authority and the Professional Standards Bureau.

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