BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – IN pursuance of information from the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force concerning the shooting death of Trevor ‘Eldred’ Douglas, family members have indicated that they would be taking legal action.
On Friday (May 23), this publication received a correspondence from Douglas’ brother, Ricky Rouphine, which stated that a letter was sent to Commissioner of Police Dr. Celvin ‘CG’ Walwyn indicating that they would instruct their solicitors to assist in gaining information related to Douglas’ death, since all of their efforts to acquire same were futile.
“We, the Rouphine and Douglas families, through our solicitors, have today written to the Commissioner of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, Mr. Celvin Walwyn, requesting information related to the death of our son and brother Mr. Trevor Douglas. We have decided, that after numerous attempts to gain information surrounding the circumstances, we would instruct solicitors to assist in the process,” the correspondence reads.
It also states that the family members are aware that the legal process might be a very long one, but they are prepared to go through with it.
“This step is an onerous financial burden at a time of great emotional stress when we have lost a breadwinner. We note that the legal process could be long and drawn out but in the interest of justice we are prepared for this journey.”
Family members claim that the police are silent on the issue and they are calling on the law enforcement body to justify the use of force in Douglas’ death.
“Fourteen months have elapsed since the death of Trevor and to date, the Police Force is silent; the officer is still on duty and no answers have been given to us. It appears that the Police Force has adopted a business as usual approach in spite of the circumstances which are compelling answers. We are of the view that the Police Force must justify the use of force and in particular the discharge of one of its firearms resulting in the death of Trevor.”
The family members are of the view that there is no independent body to investigate complaints made against members of the Police Force, and that may have been the reason for information not forthcoming.
“The real issue for us is whether the Police Force is abusing the public’s trust and doing so because there is no independent investigation of complaints into their conduct as exists in other countries in the Caribbean. We wish to know who polices the Police in our search for justice for Trevor, his partner and particularly his two young children who must grow up without the love and support of a devoted father,” the correspondence states.
Douglas’ lifeless body was discovered on the morning of Wednesday, March 27, 2013 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 Funeral Home.
An investigation conducted by SKNVibes at that time revealed that shortly before 1:00 a.m. on that day, 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 is suspected that he was hit in the back whilst running in College Street Ghaut.
Since then, family members had voiced their displeasure in the unexplained circumstances surrounding his death and had written a letter to the Commissioner of Police seeking answers to a number of questions.
The family members, headed by his Anguilla-based brother Ricky Rouphine, stated in the letter that no member of the family was allowed to witness the autopsy when it was being performed, and that after two weeks of its conclusion they were not provided a copy of the findings.
Among the questions asked by Rouphine were: “What were the circumstances which led to the police being in pursuit of Trevor?” and “If it is the case that Trevor was shot by the police, will an independent investigation be conducted and by whom?”
On Tuesday, April 30, 2013, the Commissioner Walwyn was contacted for a comment on the contents of the letter and he had indicated to this media house that he had responded to the author.
“I responded to the letter and told him [Mr. Rouphine] that it is an active investigation and the results will be made public when completed. The police cannot discuss active investigations.”
Approximately two months after Douglas’ shooting death, police stated that investigations into the matter were concluded.
A release from the Police Press and Public Relations Officer, Inspector Lyndon David, stated that “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.”
An investigation launched by this media house at that time however revealed that Douglas was shot in the back by a member of the RSCNPF.
It also revealed that through the efforts of Commissioner Walwyn, an overseas-based ballistics expert, who was in St. Kitts at the time, found that the bullet which killed Douglas was fired from a firearm that belongs to the Police Force.
Trevor Ian ‘Eldred’ Douglas was laid to rest at the St. Paul’s Parish Cemetery on Friday, April 5, 2013.
Efforts to contact Commissioner Walwyn for a comment on the correspondence sent by Rouphine were unsuccessful.
