Davis to seek legal action
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE three men who were charged with the murder of 17-year-old Jakeel Alford, whose burnt and dismembered remains were discovered within a 180-foot well in the White Gate area on Thursday, June 14, 2012, were set free after being incarcerated close to eight months in Her Majesty’s Prison.
The men, Kelvon Dickenson of Lovers Lane, Everette Davis of Willets Housing Project and Yul Abdula Chacon of Douglas Avenue (all of St. Paul’s Village), appeared at the Sandy Point Magistrate’s Court on Monday (Feb. 4) for the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) into Alford’s murder and were told that the charges against them were withdrawn.
Speaking yesterday (Feb. 10) with Davis, he said that prior to last Monday, they had on four occasions appeared in Court for the PI hearing but it was deferred on each occasion due to the absence of counsels for the defence and “at one time because the police files were not ready”.
The 37-year-old said he was represented by the current Attorney-General, the Hon. Jason Hamilton, while one of the other accused was represented by Hesketh Benjamin, who both argued their cases and proved their innocence.
“When the police arrested and charged me with the young man’s murder, I told them that I knew nothing of it. I informed them that on the day they claimed he went missing I was in Court in Basseterre for child maintenance and arrived home late the afternoon. They asked me all sorts of questions, some of which pertained to the dead man, and I truthfully answered them and let them know that I was innocent of the charge they have against me. I also told them that all the days of my life I have never been in the area where they said his body was found,” Davis explained.
Davis further explained that he is the father of two boys, one 12, who resides with his mother in Monkey Hill, and the other is two-years-old and lives with him in St. Paul’s Village.
“My elder son is the one that I had to appear in the Basseterre Court for, and it seems like if I would have to be in Court again because I am out of a job. When the police arrested me in June last year, I was working as a labourer and apprentice welder cutting up scrap metal at the sugar factory for export with some Spanish-speaking nationals.
“The police had caused me to lose my job and have taken away seven months and two weeks out of my life by charging me for a crime I did not commit. Now, today, I am out of prison and also out of a job. I cannot understand the justice system. I have never been in any trouble with the law before. The police have mashed up my life. They have this strategy of arresting and charge people then conduct their investigations, only to find out in the end that the people are innocent. Maybe they have employed this strategy to let the public believe that they are efficient in the execution of their duty.”
The unemployed father stated that, in addition to finding money for the near eight-month due maintenance of his elder son, he has to find EC$8 000 to repay one of his relatives who gave it to him as a loan for Hamilton to represent him in Court.
“All of this is unnecessary if the police had done a proper investigation. I am a poor man struggling to make an honest living in these hard times. I was therefore advised to take legal action in an attempt to repay the money that I owe and also to let the world know that what the police did was wrong. If no one has ever done it before, I will be the one to bell the cat and make them stop arresting and charge innocent people and destroying their lives.”
A tearful Davis told this publication that since his release from prison he has not seen his elder son, and the younger one who was left in the care of his brother did not recognise him.
“It is not easy to return to your home where you left a young child and, on returning, he runs away from you crying because he does not recognise you. This is all the doings of the police.”
Sharing his experience whilst in prison, Davis said it is not fit even for dogs to be there.
“That is not a place for any right thinking person. I was in a cell that has seven bunks and 24 prisoners were in there. While 14 men shared the bunks, myself and the other nine had to sleep on the cold floor. And then there is the toilet facility. It is a toilet bowl without a tank in an enclosed area within the cell. To flush it, we have to use a large bucket that is in the cell. But problems arise in the nights when more than one prisoner has to use the toilet.
“The cells are locked down after a certain time and, if a couple of us want to ease our bowels, what you think would happen when the bucket has no more water in it? The stench would be stifling and you would have to bear up with it until morning. I am never going back there! And I will like to advise all those young men who believe that being in a gang or engaging in criminal activities would make you a man…sorry, you will only lose your dignity and fruitful years out of your life.”
Yesterday (Feb. 11), this media house tried to get the views of the Acting Director of Public Prosecutions on the matter but had failed in its attempt.
When contacted, Police Press and Public relations Officer, Inspector Lyndon David confirmed that the charges against the three men were withdrawn.
“The charges were withdrawn at the Court and it was not a matter of lack of evidence. The police are still carrying out investigations and the men can be rearrested on the same charges,” David said.
