BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN addition to the four men from St. Kitts and Nevis who have gone missing over the past four-plus years, Andrew ‘Spinal’ Samuel Jr. of Conaree Village and of Leslie ‘One Pack’ Jeffers of Hermitage Village, Cayon are also among the missing.
Samuel had gone missing without a trace since June 25, 2009 and his grieving family members are still hoping that someone may provide information that could bring his abductors to justice.
At the time of his disappearance, Samuel was 23 years old and his mother, Lavern Matthew, said she had last seen him shortly before she had left her home at approximately 11: 00 a.m. on the day in question.
His aunt, Ayanna Moses, had told this publication that she and a number of family members had tried to contact him on several occasions but all they received were busy signals from his cellular phone.
Another close relative of his had told this media house that friends had seen him in Ottley’s Village waiting to catch a bus on the day of his disappearance. 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”.
Following his disappearance, family members had claimed that the police were not aggressively pursuing the matter.
This allegation was however refuted by then Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Liburd, who, in an exclusive interview with SKNVibes, said, “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, 2009) we questioned three individuals about the situation. No one was arrested but we were able to receive some useful information.”
The then Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Cromwell Henry, had also denied the allegation and asserted that the force was doing all it could. He also noted that there was a new development in the case.
“On Saturday (July 4, 2009), the police took into custody a vehicle that may have been involved in the situation. We are currently examining it for clues,” he revealed.
This media house had learnt that in addition to the vehicle, a number of persons were also taken into custody but subsequently released.
According to the Police Press and Public Information Officer, Inspector Lyndon David, since then no new information was garnered concerning the missing man, “but investigations are ongoing and we are asking members of the public who may have any information pertaining to his disappearance to contact the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at 465-2241 extension 220 or the nearest police station.
David assured that all information would be treated with the strictest confidence and could be given on condition of anonymity.
In an email to SKNVibes, dated Sunday, June 24, 2012, one of Samuel’s relatives said family members are still grieving and they crave a closure of this matter, while at the same time asking anyone with information on his disappearance to kindly provide same.
“His loved ones still have no closure, nobody or articles he had on his person have been found, no one has been held responsible for what ever happened to him. We feel as though people have just forgotten about him. It’s bad enough that the help from the authorities was not given correctly in a timely matter to try and find/save him. His family and friends did his search on their own, and we haven't forgotten about him.
“We miss him more each day, we’re realistic to know that three years have passed and he might not be alive. Although we may never get a chance to put his body to rest the proper way or have a place to pay our respect to him, it’s not too late to bring justice to this situation. The people who were involved in taking him are still walking free. Someone out there knows what happened to him. I'm asking for your company not to forget him, to please bring back up his disappearance in hope that from reading or hearing about your article people will come forth and say what they know.”
Just over seven months have passed since Leslie ‘One Pack’ Jeffers had gone missing and his mother is still praying and hoping that one day she might see him walking through the door to her home.
Patricia Jeffers said she had last seen her 27-year-old son at about 600 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 and has not heard from him since.
In a past interview, the mother said they either communicate or visit with each other regularly but more than three days do not elapse before further contact is made; which is why she became alarmed when – having seen him on the Tuesday – she made a report to the police when the weekend came and not hearing from him.
“I went to his house and I still go there to just to see if he is there. And I know if he came back he would have come by me, so I know he hasn’t come back.”
She confirmed that she last saw him wearing a black T-shirt, a short pant and was carrying a maroon backpack on his back.
Speaking with SKNVibes this morning (OCT. 3), Jeffers’ mother said it is logical to conclude that her son may be dead when taking into consideration the time of his disappearance.
She said that even to this day family members are still searching for him, especially in areas where they know he normally hanged out.
“Whoever is responsible for my son’s disappearance may not be judged by man because they have not been caught, but they will have to answer to God because it is only He who gives life to man,” the grieving mother said.
Inspector David is appealing to members of the public to also provide information on Jeffers’ disappearance and noted that in addition to the CID, persons could contact the Cayon Police Station at 465-7258.
