ERRATUM: In last week’s front page article headlined SLAIN IN THE SHOP we erroneously reported the name of the victim as CRAIG MacDONALD. The correct name is CRAIG HAMILTON. We apologise to all concerned.
By L.K. Hewlett
St. Kitts Reporter
Family members of Craig Hamilton are worried that his killer may never come to justice due to the way police are handling the investigation into his June 9th killing.
The angry relative said that from what they had heard in the Conaree community, a group of men had hired someone to shoot Craig. She revealed that information was given to the police who then went in search of the suspects.
The woman said she was horrified to find out that when the investigators confronted the men, they revealed the names of the person(s) who had given them the tip.
“People know what happen, people have information but they are afraid to talk. The police are calling people names to these bad man when they questioning them. They telling them who call their name. With all this shooting that going on and killing of witnesses you think people gon’ come forward and say what they know? And to be honest, I can’t blame them,” she stated.
The woman told The Observer that Craig’s entire family was scared, and were growing increasingly so after the fiasco with the police using people’s names. She said that even though it might work against bringing her loved one’s killer to justice, she could not blame anyone for maintaining their silence.
This is not the first time a complaint of this nature is being made against the police. Many residents have said that they had called police hotlines that were supposed to be anonymous only to be questioned about their identity. Some have gone so far as to claim that after calling the police when they had seen a suspect or escapee or witnessed a crime, the police had arrived on the scene and said to persons ‘Miss so-and-so called to say she just saw the person right here, how do you mean you haven’t seen him’.
The Observer spoke to a source in the police department who said such claims were without merit.
“The police do not operate that way so I know that they did not reveal the names of anyone who may have given information. Whatever intelligence the Police get is treated with the utmost confidentiality. Those allegations are simply not true and totally unfounded,” the source said.
Commissioner of Police Robert Jeffers during a recent interview appealed to the public to come forward with any information they may have about crimes or with information about persons who are in possession of illegal firearms.
“We will use funds that we have available to pay for information leading to arrests or to the recovery of illegal firearms. There are hotlines set up that people can call and give information anonymously. If you are asked for your name, you don’t have to give it. Just call and give whatever information you have to the police so that they can get the guns off the streets and people can be safe,” he said.
The top cop did not reveal just how much would be paid for information nor did he specify how that process of remuneration for information would be conducted. It was not made clear how the police would deal with persons giving false information in order to get cash.
Hamilton’s slaying brought the federation’s 2007 murder count to seven.
