BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER some seven weeks of investigation, the police officer who allegedly shot Steadroy ‘Seamoss’ Sutton on Pinney’s Beach was charged for wounding with intent.
A police press release, issued this afternoon (Nov. 6), stated that “Constable Randolph Diamond was arrested and charged with wounding with intent, as a result of an incident that occurred on Pinney’s Beach in Nevis on September 19, 2015”.
The release also stated that it is alleged that during the incident the officer drew his service pistol and shot a security guard who was employed at the location.
It further stated that the report of the investigation was forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for review, and it was upon that review the charge was preferred against Diamond.
The officer is however on bail EC$20,000 bail with one surety and was ordered to surrender his travel documents.
Acting Commissioner of Police Stafford Liburd reportedly said that “this is an indictable matter that is now in the hands of the court”.
On Saturday (Sept. 19), Sutton was shot twice while executing his duties as a security guard at the Turtle Times Restaurant on Pinney’s Beach. He had sustained wounds to his groin and lower back.
A journalist of the St. Kitts-Nevis Observer had reportedly spoken to Sutton, who claimed that at about 2:00 a.m. on the day in question, while on duty clad in his security uniform, he had observed a person walking from the direction of Sunshine Bar and Restaurant towards the Turtle Times Restaurant and started urinating on the grounds of the establishment.
The media house further reported that Sutton had walked towards the restaurant in order to call the police when the person opened fire in his direction, hitting him once.
“I walked up the building to take up my book to call an officer to report the guy. The person found me right at the building and said he wanted to make the call himself. He then took off the gun and shot me,” the guard recounted to the Observer’s reporter.
Sutton also reportedly told the reporter that after the first shot, he jumped on the person but released his hold on him after realising the wound was bleeding.
“I went back and as I turned around, he shot me in the back. I ran to the bandstand and interrupted the vocalist," adding that the vocalist called the police and on the arrival of an officer he was taken to the hospital at 3:00 a.m.
On Thursday (Oct. 1), The Commissioner Ag had told the media that Diamond was charged with disciplinary offences, but not criminally.
However, during a press conference on Monday (Oct. 19), Liburd declared that as a result of an investigation conducted by the Office of Professional Standards, the officer was on disciplinary charges and was suspended with half pay from the Force.
