BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - THE Inquest into the death of Trevor ‘Eldred’ Douglas ended on Thursday (Jun. 19) with the Magistrate ruling in favour of the police officer who is said to have shot him.
Douglas was found dead in Central Market Street, Basseterre on March 27, 2013. He was allegedly shot by a member of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force (RSCNPF).
The closed matter began on May 26 at the Basseterre Magistrate's Court.
SKNVibes understands that five persons from the public assisted with the proceedings and some 19 people gave evidence on the matter.
This publication also understands that following the summation of the matter, it was decided that the police officer's actions could be justified and that he would not be charged in relation to Douglas' death.
INFORMATION ON TREVOR DOUGLAS
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 in Central Market Street, Basseterre.
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.
Douglas was laid to rest at the St. Paul’s Parish Cemetery on Friday, April 5, 2013.
