61% of Old Harbour murders cleared up

The Old Harbour police zone is a sub-division of the St Catherine South Police Division and encompasses the entire geography of southwest St Catherine.

Of 34 murders committed in the zone last year, 21 have been cleared up, stated Detective Inspector Carl Morris, head of the criminal investigative branch for Old Harbour.

Clear up is a terminology often used by members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) that means matters that have been placed before a magistrate to adjudicate.

In breaking down the data during an interview with Old Harbour News, the senior investigator noted that 27 homicides were attributed to Old Harbour, while seven were committed south of the town centre in Old Harbour Bay. Five of those  seven murders were cleared up and are now before the courts, while 21 of those logged in Old Harbour proper have been handed over to the courts.

Many of these cases now before a judge are likely to take at least two years or more before any ruling is made. However, Det. Morris, who took charge of the Old Harbour CIB in January 2022, is confident in the body of work put together by his investigative team and anticipates that the charges made will result in convictions.

“The investigators would have done a tremendous job resulting in our success and this is so despite resource challenges,” he told Old Harbour News.

The most high profile cases before the courts is the February 15 murder of fish vendor Patsy Coleman, the slaying of Delgrado Cole of Hart Street on April 17 and the senseless and brazen killing of Tawshawn Douglas in the Old Harbour Market on the morning of June 15.

A month after Coleman was gunned down on the Old Harbour Bay Fishing Beach, two men were charged with her murder after confessing to executing the deadly plot.
Charged with accessory after the fact, murder and conspiracy to murder is 31-year-old Al-Antonio Bryan, otherwise called barber of Windsor Road, Spanish Town, St Catherine and Cory Walters, a mechanic of Johnson Pen, Spanish Town, St Catherine who it is believed to be the trigger man in the daring homicide.

Walters has been slapped with the charges of murder, illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, and conspiracy to murder.

However, in a dramatic twist in this matter Bryan has reported to be "cooperating" with the prosecution said Det.Insp Morris.

Approximately two weeks after Douglas’ killing, 38-year-old Andrew ‘Pang’ Williams was charged with murder, shooting with intent, wounding with intent, three counts of illegal possession of firearm and three counts of illegal possession of ammunition in relation to the crime. He remains behind bar after the judge denied him bail several times.

And just last week detectives cracked the murder case involving the killing of Delgrado Cole of Harts Street, who was chased and shot multiple times on the night of April 17, 2022.

Spring Village mass shooting

Meanwhile, the detective inspector informed Old Harbour News that the police continue to pursue several leads related to the mass shooting in Spring Village in September of last year which resulted in three people being killed.

He said one male suspect was taken into custody late last year but was released after undergoing a series of questioning.

The mass shooting in Spring Village is being investigated by the Major Investigation Division (MID) along with the Old Harbour CIB.

“Our detectives have been doing a very good job clearing up these murders and we are working assiduously to clear up the others,” said the detective inspector.

60 persons arrested, 600 tickets issued

Additionally the Old Harbour police are taking a zero tolerance approach to stymie street crimes.

Detective Morris said the top brass in the division has assembled a special policing unit targeting person smoking in public spaces, illegal possession of offensive weapon such as knives and drugs.

“We have arrested over 60 persons for these types of crimes,” Detective Morris told Old Harbour News.

He said the police are aware of armed men going around in motor vehicles targeting unsuspecting persons who they see as easy prey.

At the same time, the senior investigator said the special unit have issued over 600 traffic tickets under various offenses and arrested several motorists on warrant since the new Road Traffic Act came into effect.

“We are aware of the fact that elsewhere people have been going around in Mark X, Axio and Probox with men heavily armed and we are looking out for them because we have a lot financial institutions in the town so we have to be proactive to prevent these robberies,” he said.

He further stated one of the objectives of this special unit is to consistently maintain a presence in and around the town centre to reassure public safety and deter criminals from executing their evil intentions.

“So this team, this is what they are out there to do, to maintain public order and make the space feel safe for the people doing their lawful business,” added the senior crime fighter.

Four murders have been recorded in the Old Harbour police zone since the start of the year.