BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – NEVIS’ Deputy Premier and Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Mark Brantley has declared that under the Team Unity Administration the Rule of Law is paramount and no one is above the law.
According to a press release from the Team Unity Communications Secretariat, Brantley had made this declaration on his Facebook page “in response to the recent high profile drug bust which involved two non-nationals, Obie Baron of Dominica - who was fatally wounded and Greg Williamson of Antigua along with Kenrick Simmonds and Tenielle Percival of St. Kitts”.
On his Facebook page, Brantley reportedly wrote: “I see Labour/NRP(SKN Opposition Coalition) all over social media jumping with joy because the son of our former Prime Minister has been charged with an offence. His guilt or innocence will ultimately be a matter for the Court. To me the real headline here however is that under this new Unity Government, the RULE OF LAW is paramount and no one is above the law. The security forces continue to get the fullest support from UNITY".
The email stated that Kenrick Simmonds is the son of recently named National Hero Dr. the Rt. Excellent Sir Kennedy Simmonds, the first Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis and the father of Independence.
“Despite the sterling reputation and significant influence of his father the Police charged Kenrick Simmonds for various offences. A situation which flies in the face of the Opposition SKN Labour Party who have been making claims that Simmonds was not going to be charged and his involvement in the case ignored,” the release added.
Sometime after 5:00 a.m. on Thursday (Oct. 1), a police intelligence-led operation was conducted on a secluded beach in the Conaree area, which resulted in one man being killed and three others arrested.
According to the Acting Police Commissioner Stafford Liburd, “During the operation our officers observed a pickup truck on the beach and a speed boat approaching the shores. Upon their arrival, the two occupants of the vessel were challenged. One occupant opened fire upon our officers. Our officers, in defence, returned fire and one of the occupants was fatally wounded.”
He continued: “The vessel was searched and four bails said to contain 124 pounds of compressed marijuana were discovered. The street value is approximately EC$930,000. Technicians of the Forensic Services Unit processed the scene and items of value were collected and taken into police custody for further analysis.”
Assistant Commissioner of Police with responsibility for Crime, Ian Queeley had informed the media that the deceased was aboard the vessel when he was shot. He further said that two individuals were also on the beach with a pickup truck and that they had made an attempt to leave the scene but were apprehended by the police.
The deceased, as mentioned in Team Unity’s release, is one Obie Baron of Dominica, and this publication leant that he was residing in Antigua.
A police release stated that Simmonds was “charged and cautioned for the offences of Obstruction under the Electronic Crimes Act and Incite to Import under the Drug Act”, while Tenielle ‘Blaze’ Percival was “arrested and charged for the offences of possession of a controlled drug, possession with intent to supply and importation of controlled drug”, and Greg Williamson was “charged and cautioned” for "possession of a controlled drug, possession with intent to supply and importation of controlled drug”.
Simmonds has since gained his pre-trial liberty to the tune of EC$1M; EC$500,000 on each of the two sureties. He was ordered to surrender his travel documents and to report to the Basseterre Police Station on Fridays, while Percival and Williamson were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.
