BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – ONCE again, family members of the late Trevor ‘Eldred’ Douglas are in contention with the police over his shooting death. This time, however, it concerns an unanswered request made to the Commissioner of Police (COP).
In a letter dated August 29, 2013 addressed to COP Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn and copied to Crown Counsel W. Alethea Gumbs, Attorney General Hon. Jason Hamilton and the local media, Douglas’ brother, Ricky Rouphine is seeking a copy of the Report of an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
The letter reads: “I wrote to you on the 18th May 2013, having heard via media reports, a release from the Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Lyndon David, which stated: ‘The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force have just concluded a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Mr. Douglas and have forwarded the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for her consideration. The police will abide by, and adhere to, whatever decision the DPP makes based on her review of the case file.’ A request for a copy of the report was made to you in the letter dated 28th May 2013. To date the family has not received any acknowledgement of that letter or a copy of the report.
It also states that in response to a letter written by Rouphine on behalf of Douglas’ family members, Commissioner Walwyn’s letter (dated April 24, 2013) read: “The Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force is conducting an investigation into the death of Mr. Trevor Douglas. At the end of the investigation the results will be made public.”
As a result of the Commissioner’s response, Rouphine said, “We are again requesting a copy of the report into the death of our son and brother and look forward to hearing from you in due course.”
Yesterday (Aug. 29), in a telephone conversation with this media house, the Anguilla-based Rouphine said he would be in St. Kitts as of today until next Wednesday in an effort to acquire the Report.
On the morning of Wednesday, March 27, 2013, Douglas’ lifeless body was discovered lying on a narrow space between the Central Guest House and Apartments building and an abandoned building south of it in the vicinity of Jenkins General Home in Central Market Street, Basseterre.
An investigation conducted by SKNVibes at that time revealed that shortly before 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday (Mar. 27), the former Bobo Dread member of St. Paul’s Village who was residing with his children and their mother at Shear Lane in Basseterre at the time of his demise, allegedly smashed the front windscreen and the two right windows of a silver-gray Toyota pickup that belongs to the leader of the Bobo Dreads.
The pickup was parked on Victoria Road opposite the Star of India Restaurant and Douglas allegedly smashed the windows and windscreen with a hammer, which was said to have been found on the ground next to his body when it was discovered.
It was also revealed that whilst carrying out his destructive actions, he was approached by a group of persons and he jumped the eastern fence of the Anglican Church in his bid to escape.
He allegedly ran along the grounds of the Anglican Church and scaled the wall on the western side, landed on College Street Ghaut, ran in a southern direction along that street, turned west onto Cayon Street then south into Central Market Street.
It was further revealed that during his bid to escape, a single shot rang out and it was suspected that he was hit in the back whilst running in College Street Ghaut.
The police were contacted by Douglas’ family members as well as the media and they were told that investigations were being conducted.
In late May, a release from the Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Lyndon David stated the Police Force had concluded an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Douglas’ death and that the case file was forwarded to the Acting DPP for her consideration.
An investigation launched by this media house however revealed that the 34-year-old Douglas was shot in the back by a member of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force.
It also revealed that through the efforts of Commissioner Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn, an overseas-based ballistics expert had visited St. Kitts and found that the bullet which killed Douglas was fired from a firearm that belongs to the Police Force.
In an effort to sensitise the public on the developments of the case file, SKNVibes, on Friday (Jul. 5), contacted the then Acting DPP, Rhonda Nisbett-Brown, who said that she had no comment to make on the matter.
