ACP Queeley says cases are never closed until solved
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN continuation of their task in making St. Kitts and Nevis a safer place for both residents and visitors, members of the Delta Squad have added two more in their long list of arrests for illegal substances.
Information reaching this publication indicates that Wilmoth Rawlins of Old Road and Reynold Richardson of Stapleton Housing Project were arrested and charged with possession of cannabis.
These incidents occurred on separate occasions during Stop and Search Operations conducted last week by Delta Squad in various parts of St. Kitts.
Rawlins was stopped by the officers in Old Road on Tuesday (Nov. 22) and a search of his person revealed a quantity of cannabis, while a similar situation occurred with Richardson in Stapleton Housing Project on Friday (Nov. 25).
SKNVibes learned that both men have since been released on station bail and are soon to appear in court.
Meanwhile, also on Friday (Nov. 25), members of the Delta Force launched an operation in Molineux and its immediate surroundings and came upon an empty lot in that village with a number of cannabis plants, ranging from seedling to over three feet in height.
The plants were uprooted and taken into police custody.
Following the recent arrests of individuals for possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis with intent, many persons had commented on SKNVibes’ website that the police are only good at “charging people for a plant that God had put on earth and have murderers running free”.
This media house contacted Assistant Commissioner (ACP) Ian Queeley, the Officer with responsibility for Crime, and was told that the police are mandated to apprehend and charge anyone who violates the law, and that possession of cannabis is among the offences.
“Must we turn a blind eye to users and suppliers of illegal drugs? Many delinquents begin their nefarious career by committing petty crimes and, if not clipped early in the bud, they move on to more serious offences.
“Members of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force are mandated to serve and protect; and in the execution of their duty, all law-breakers will be targeted and brought to justice,” Queeley said.
Queeley explained that files are never closed until the cases are solved and he cited a number of cases, including one in Bermuda where Stanford Glenfield Archibald was convicted in 2003 for a murder he committed 18 years earlier. “The victim was one Aaron Easton.
Also, a 33-year-old cold case murder was solved in Portland, Oregon in 2009. This case involved a man named Edward Delon Warren who was convicted for strangling an 80-year-old woman called Rosa Cinnamon in March 1976,” he added.
The ACP further explained that cases could only be solved by the presentation of evidence in a court of law and many individuals may have information pertaining to most homicides committed in the Federation, but are tight-lipped on providing police with such information.
He is therefore calling on members of the public who may have information on past cases to assist the police in solving them.
