BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AS first hinted by Acting Commissioner of Police Stafford Liburd a few weeks ago at the Prime Minister’s press conference, police have made a breakthrough in the murder of Istan Mitcham.
A communiqué issued last night (Jun. 8) stated that on Tuesday, May 26, 2015, 21-year-old Erastus Laville of Central Westbourne Street was formally arrested and charged for the murder of Mitcham.
The 24-year-old Mitcham of Upper College Street was shot multiple times to the body while he was on Central Westbourne Street on the morning of October 23, 2014.
Speaking with this publication on the day of the incident, Police Press and Public Relations Office, Inspector David said: “Sometime around 8:30 a.m. police received a call about a shooting incident at Westbourne Street, the lower section. As we got here we saw the lifeless body of a young male lying on a piece of concrete step.
“We are currently gathering as much information as possible to establish what really took place. At this time we don’t have as many details, but as details unfold the media and the general public will certainly be notified from the Police Press and Public Relations Department.”
Since then, Commissioner (Ag) Liburd had stated on May 12 that the police had solved one of the many homicides and a man called Laville was in custody. He however declared that the victim’s name would not be revealed until the police had spoken with his mother.
The communiqué stated that Laville is also charged with two counts of malicious damage, which were allegedly committed with a firearm on the Fort Thomas Road properties of Calvin Hazel.
This incident occurred on March 18, 2015 when it was alleged that Laville had fired a number of shots in the direction of an off-duty policeman.
A few days after the incident, Laville turned up at the Basseterre Police Station in the company of a lawyer and turned himself in to the authorities.
According to Commissioner (Ag) Liburd, he was slapped with one charge each of possession of a firearm, possession of ammunition and discharging a loaded firearm with intent to prevent lawful apprehension.
