Find of body with gunshot wounds to head a hoax
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THREE male residents of St. Paul’s Village are soon to appear in the District ‘B’ Magistrate’s Court to answer charges ranging from possession to cultivation of cannabis, which SKNVibes learnt amounted to two truckloads.
Police Press and Public Relations Officer Sergeant Stephen Hector told this media house that the three men are Travis Jules, Kintu Bradshaw and Jahren Leader.
He noted that the three men were arrested on Friday (Mar. 9) during a joint search and rescue operation conducted throughout St. Kitts for persons reported missing.
Hector said the men were charged with possession of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply another and cultivation of cannabis.
“After their arrest and charges were laid against them, the three men were bailed and have to appear at the District ‘B’ Magistrate’s Court at 9:00 a.m. on April 2, 2012,” Hector said.
The PRO explained that extensive patrols are currently being conducted throughout St. Kitts by all law enforcement agencies on the island, including the Fire and Rescue Services, in an effort to locate missing persons.
One is 27-year-old Leslie ‘One Pack’ Jeffers of Hermitage Village, Cayon, who went missing for almost two weeks, and was last seen by his mother - Patricia Jeffers – at about 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday (Feb. 28).
The PRO further explained that Sergeant Travis Rogers who was involved in the search and rescue operation reportedly said, “Officers discovered approximately 10 different plots of land containing eight thousand five hundred marijuana plants ranging from seedlings to six feet in height. They were uprooted and taken into police custody and subsequently destroyed by means of fire by men of the Drug Unit. The event was documented and photographed.”
He added that investigations into the find are ongoing and “we continue to urge persons who may have any information relating to the whereabouts of Leslie ‘One Pack’ Jeffers to please contact the nearest police station”.
Meanwhile, Inspector Charles Smithen, head of the Criminal Investigations Department, said that the article published by the St. Kitts-Nevis Times claiming that the body of Leslie ‘One Pack’ Jeffers was found by members of the St. Kitts-Nevis Defence Force with three gunshot wounds to the head is false.
Smithen, who was alarmed and laughed on Saturday morning (Mar. 10) when this media house contacted him to confirm the report which was also disseminated via BB and text messages as well as emails, warned against the dangers of publishing unconfirmed information.
The CID head explained that he was part of the team that coordinated the search and rescue operation during which the large quantity of cannabis was found.
“The finding of Jeffers body with gunshot wounds to the head is false and no such find was realised by the police or the other law enforcement agencies involved in the operation. The operation concluded sometime after 5:00 p.m. on Friday and the only success achieved was the discovery of approximately two truckloads of marijuana plants.
“The police are aware that the media are responsible for the dissemination of information to the general public with the aim of keeping them informed on all matters of interest. However, it is incumbent upon media operatives to be accurate in the dissemination of information, especially those that are crime-related.
“Should the need arise for confirmation on any matter relating to crime, the police should be contacted before its publication which may eventually turn out to be a hoax or some details lacking authenticity. It is therefore advisable that before publishing their articles, media operatives contact the PRO, myself or any senior officer of the force,” Smithen said.
The publisher(s) of the article has since apologised, noting “the St. Kitts-Nevis Times has since learnt that the story may have been a hoax” and that “no official statement has since been issued by the security forces about any body found with gunshot wounds to the head up to this time”.
