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Kadaffi Romney, mother of Jehlano Romney, right, speaks to a relative at the Forensic Science Centre,
St James. – Photo by Ayanna Kinsale

Seven months after his lawyer claims he asked for protection after witnessing the death of a policeman in Richplain, Diego Martin, a 30-year-old man was gunned down at a house in Morvant.

Police said Jehlano Romney, 30, was at a house in Poinsettia Drive, at around 9.35 pm when a group of gunmen shot him several times before running away.

A woman who was nearby was also shot in her face.

Police from the North Eastern Division Task Force took the wounded woman to the hospital.

Police from the Homicide Bureau of Investigations Region II visited the scene with a district medical officer who declared Romney dead.

On April 22, a team of 12 officers from the Western Division Task Force went to a staircase on Upper Rich Plain Road, Diego Martin, where they confronted Romney.

During the incident PC Clarence Gilkes who was part of this group was shot and killed, as Romney ran away.

While the original account given by police claimed that Romney shot Gilkes, an autopsy later revealed that Gilkes was shot from behind with a police-issued bullet.

Romney spent almost a week in hiding before surrendering to police with his attorney Criston J Williams.

He was questioned and later released.

Speaking with Newsday on Monday, Williams confirmed that his client requested protection from the police while being interviewed by them but was never given any offer of protection.

He attributed Romney’s murder to the lack of protection and said his death was not reassuring to citizens who were willing to assist police in their investigations.

“It sends the message to the public that maybe I should not be a good citizen to hold anyone accountable because I may not be protected.

“It was the fault of the police because no protective measures were offered to him and as far as I’m aware his death may have been a direct result of this.

“I know he was not a saint, he may have been a sinner and he tried to change his life and not being offered witness protection and being placed back in your original environment you may have to act like a cornered animal to protect yourself.”

Williams said Romney asked officers of the Homicide Bureau of Investigations to place him in witness protection while members of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) were present.

But responding to Williams’ claims in a TV6 interview broadcasted on Monday night, acting head of the police’s Homicide Bureau of Investigation Snr Supt Rishi Singh said police did offer protection to Romney on at least three occasions but he repeatedly refused the offer.

Singh said Romney was offered police protection when he surrendered himself to police after a nationwide manhunt was conducted for his capture in late April.

At the time, Romney had turned himself in to co-operate with the police’s investigation into Gilkes death.

Romney was later released on May 1.

Singh said Romney was again offered police protection when homicide officers completed their investigation.

Finally, Singh said Romney was offered protection for a third time when PC Kristian Genty, 28, and WPC Crystal Williams-Bowman were charged in relation to Gilkes death on August 5.

Singh, on Monday, expressed disappointment in the latest turn of events.

“It’s not something that we are, at all, ever happy to see. But we are very alive to the fact that, in the circumstances, he was a very special type of witness. And we wanted to ensure that all offers of safety would have been offered to him and, certainly, we are disappointed that he did not accept it.”

When Newsday asked Williams how he though Gilkes’ murder case would progress with its main witness now dead, he said Romney entered a statement before his death.

Under the amended Evidence Act a dead witness’ statement can still be entered as evidence and can lead to a criminal prosecution.

Williams added that Romney had two cases against the police for false imprisonment.

Newsday attempted to contact acting Police Commissioner McDonald Jacob for comment several times on Tuesday but was unsuccessful.

Romney’s mother and other relatives visited the Forensic Science Centre, St James, on Monday to identify his body and speak to police investigators.

They refused to comment.

Newsday also later visited the family at their Richplain home where they again declined to comment.

Newsday attempted to contact director of the PCA David West via phone call and WhatsApp but was unsuccessful up to press time.

Police in the Western Division said while homicide detectives were still trying to establish a motive for Romney’s murder, they suspect it may have been a reprisal for gang-related murders in Diego Martin.

They also denied claims that the police were responsible for Romney’s murder.

“His name was calling in the death of a few people, so he had a lot of enemies. And it’s no secret because gang reprisals are real.

“I know there are people who are trying to make it out that the police killed him given everything that happened to PC Gilkes, but the truth is the police weren’t anywhere near that.”

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Former commissioner of police Gary Griffith –

GENERAL SECRETARY of the National Transformation Alliance (NTA) Tim Teemal has said it was not covid19 that was responsible for a reduction in murders in 2020 and 2021, but proper leadership by Gary Griffith as police commissioner.

Griffith is the political leader of the NTA.

In a media release on Tuesday, Teemal said the narrative that the pandemic was responsible for a reduction in murders is false, as other countries had increases in murders while TT had reductions.

For the first three months of 2020, with no public health restrictions, state of emergency and curfew, Trinidad and Tobago had the safest Carnival, and crime and murder began to decline he said. He added that in October and November 2021, with public health restrictions, a state of emergency and a curfew, the country experienced its most and third most murderous months, with 127 murders collectively.

“Despite all these facts and data, many people continue to push the narrative that covid19 was the magic bullet for crime, rather than the systems, policies and operational plans executed by the police.”

Teemal then took aim at the media for not only publishing what he called the inaccuracies but seeking out the opinions of criminologists who he said have not supported their assertion with data that the pandemic was the root cause of a reduction in murders.

“It was the fear and respect for the police that pegged them back, not magical covid19. This non-factual narrative is also the one being pushed by the hierarchy of the police, perhaps because they are beholden to the politicians, and because it is an attempt by them to shirk responsibility for the runaway crime that sees us headed to over 600 murders in a year, for the first time in our history.”

He called on those who credit the pandemic for the reduced murder toll to admit to Griffith’s leadership abilities, as not to do so will have “real-world implications of citizens losing their lives.”

Teemal addressed both politicians and the police hierarchy, telling them to give Griffith credit and to restore the policies he had in place. Specifically, he called on the government to let “good sense prevail” as the “Get Gary” narrative was not accepted. He added that in an unnamed poll, nine out every ten people questioned felt safer and more secure when Griffith was head of the police service.

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The Babonneau Youth Synergy and the Babonneau Youth and Sports Council plan to celebrate International Men’s Day with an anti-crime activity under the theme: ‘Guns Down, Pens Up.’

“The message we want to portray is that the pen is mightier than the gun,” Babonneau Youth Synergy President Aldric Edward explained.

He said the activity would take place on Saturday, November 19, from 4:00 pm.

Edward disclosed that there would be a walk followed by a panel discussion and fun and games, giving men an opportunity to socialise.

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The Babonneau Youth Synergy President noted that Babonneau is not exempt from the crime wave sweeping the country.

“We have had our fair share of issues, and most people are tired because every time in the news, somebody got shot, somebody got robbed. So we want everybody to come out to participate and send a positive message to young people involved in such activities,” he told St Lucia Times.

The Babonneau Youth Synergy President said young people seem to be both victims and perpetrators of violent crime.

 Edward said the message the anti-crime activity is seeking to send is that violent crime is unacceptable and citizens are fed-up.

“We are asking people to put down the guns and pick up a pen to educate themselves to become better citizens,” Edward stated.

“Education, for us, is one of the ways to alleviate poverty, and most unemployed people would experience a level of poverty,” Edward told St Lucia Times. 

In this regard, he observed that employment to sustain their family might not be available to someone depending on their education level.

As a result, Edward indicated that in frustration, the individual could turn to a life of crime.

“So the pen here is to symbolise proper education in combatting crime and violence,” he explained.

 Edward said Saturday’s event is open to the public, but organisers hope the people of Babonneau will turn out in their numbers.

“Coming out of that activity, we are hoping to create a men’s group where we would be able to come up with activities to empower our men,” he disclosed.

“Since we are losing so many of our men, we really need to send that message for the men to take their place in the society and hopefully we can get the results that we are looking for,” Edward stated.

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W.N.

Aujourd’hui (mardi 15 novembre), une vingtaine d’agents de la Maison martiniquaise des personnes en situation de handicap (MMPH) se sont mobilisés pour espérer obtenir des réponses satisfaisantes à leurs revendications. 

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