Police refute reports of not looking for missing man

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A top police official has refuted claims made by the family of missing Andrew ‘Spinal’ Samuel that the force has not aggressively pursued the investigation into his disappearance.

Speaking exclusively to SKNVibes, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Joseph Liburd firmly denied the allegations.
“The police are looking into the matter. For anybody to say we have not been thoroughly pursuing investigations is completely untrue. In fact, up to yesterday (July 6) we questioned three individuals about the situation. No one was arrested but we were able to receive some useful information,” he divulged.

The ACP also informed this media house that he had personally spoken to Major Leroy Percival of the St. Kitts and Nevis Defence Force for members of that institution to assist the police in their search for the missing man. This request, he said, was granted and the search for Samuel is being done jointly.

He further informed that he is in constant contact with the missing man’s mother and the police even acted upon a dream someone had concerning Samuel.

Concerned family members had contacted this media house to express their frustration and disappointment in the force’s perceived inaction. They said they had conducted searches in Cayon and Ottley’s Village, the area where Samuel was last seen. 

According to them, no police help was forthcoming for these operations, and since the filing of a missing persons report on June 28, all police officials had told them was that they were “working on it”. Additionally, they reported that a policeman from the Cayon Police Station had called to set up an interview with them, but had failed to make the appointment.

Police Inspector Cromwell Henry joined his colleague ACP Liburd in refuting the family’s claims. Asserting the force was doing all it could, he divulged a new development in the case.

“On Saturday (July 4), the police took into custody a vehicle that may have been involved in the situation. We are currently examining it for clues,” he revealed.

A close relative of Samuel told this media house that on the day he went missing, friends had seen him in Ottley’s Village waiting to catch a bus. However, “a black car pulled up on him. He knew the driver but when he noticed who were in the back seat, he tried to get out but they pulled him back into the vehicle”.

A Police Press and Public Relations communiqué issued on Friday (July 3) informed that although a number of persons had been interviewed and a number of searches conducted, no useful information leading to Samuel’s discovery had been uncovered at the time. Persons with relevant information were implored to call the nearest police station or contact Lavern Matthew, Samuel’s mother.

A resident of Conaree Village, Samuel was last seen in Ottley’s Village on Thursday, June 25. A monetary reward of an undisclosed amount is being offered by his girlfriend for his safe return.