By: Gavincia Clarke
Nevispages.com
(CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS)- As everyone celebrates the New Year of 2014 it is the hope of many that the bandits who are haunting Nevis and causing the good name of this beautiful island to be tarnished, would leave their bad habits behind.
The year 2013 saw crime on the rise in Nevis. Ten murders were recorded, a whopping 8% increasing in the rate over 2012. The society was shaken to its core as criminals became more heartless and fearless when committing their vicious acts.
Bottom left- Kishmoy Challenger and Jamal Isles
The year 2013 began on a demoralizing note when on January 1, 2013 Nevis recorded its first murder. The victim was 22 year old Alex Thompson of Bath Village. He received a number of gunshot injuries and succumbed to his injuries at the Alexandra Hospital.
No arrest has been made for his murder.
In the same month on January 26, 2013 Rudolph ‘Rudy’ Browne alias ‘Smokey’ of Rawlins Pasture was gunned down while working on his job site at Golden Rock, Gingerland. No one has been arrested for this horrendous crime.
After a short break of violence, Nevis was rattled again with the shooting death of 29 year old Kishmoy Challenger of Pond Hill. He too was gunned down at his job site at Cliff Dwellers on May 14, 2013. The assailant(s) used his vehicle to make an escape.
Six days after, on May 20, 2013 a Sixth Form Student was found strangled to death at her home at Taylor’s Pasture. Chazere Davis was only 18 years old. It was reported that her 52 year old neighbor, Jerome Kelvin Williams after allegedly strangling the teen, attempted to commit suicide. He was later charged with murder.
Hours after her death, Nevis recorded yet another murder. Dead was 21 year old Jamal Isles of Fountain Village. Jamal was on the receiving end of gunshots at his home in the wee hours on the morning of May 21, 2013 by gunmen who identified themselves as police. His murder too is unsolved.
In the following month on June 11, 2013 another Fountain Village resident lost his life. Denrick ‘Bluff’ Hanley was shot to death while cutting grass in Mount Lily. No arrest has been made in the murder of the 23 year old.
Subsequently to that murder, Adrian ‘Mac 1’ Springette of Stoney Grove was gunned down on June 22, 2013 at the Elquemedo Willet Park. He was also 23 years old. No arrest has been made in Springette’s murder.
Eight days after his friend was murdered, Antonio ‘Dollar’ Hutton of Bath Village met his demise. He was shot to death on June 30, 2013 at his Bath Village home.
Dustin Lapsey of Bath Village was charged for his murder.
In the period of six months Nevis recorded a devastating total of eight murders with only two persons being arrested for these crimes.
In less than 3 months of quietness, Nevis recorded another murder. Thirty year old Tayan ‘Mackabe’ Wilkin of New Castle was shot to death while in a vehicle traveling on a road known as Cottle Long Path on September 22, 2013. No arrest has been made in his murder.
Closing the year with the 10th murder was that of Randolph Butler of Hickman’s Village. The 65 year old was found dead outside of his home on December 27, 2013. Autopsy confirmed that he was shot to death.
The Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, C. G. Walwyn in his address to the nation stated that Nevis can be proud of its police division; and for the fact that in 2013 their hard work paid off with an above average national crime detection rate of 43%.
He assured the public that Nevis is at full manpower, and will be receiving additional officers in February.
The Commissioner also indicated that with the struggles Nevis faced in 2013, the police officers assigned to Nevis have re-committed themselves to improving public safety on the island.
In closing Commissioner Walwyn had high praises for the diligence of the police officers and the cooperation and support from the general public by having six (6) firearms removed from the streets of Nevis in the last few months.