Mother claims that police executed her son

THE RELATIVES OF a man who was killed by police at Gibson Corner on Tuesday April 17 say they do not believe the story that was given to them by law enforcement in relation to the incident.

Brice Raffique Chewitt, originally from Calliaqua/ Glen was shot twice at around 3:45 p.m. The 26-year-old, known as “War Teacher” was killed by police officers who were conducting patrols in the area.

The police report that they were on mobile patrol when Chewitt was seen walking along the public road acting in a suspicious manner.

“As a result, members of the party alighted the vehicle and approached him. He ran into some bushes then drew a firearm and pointed it at the police; the police opened fire and he was shot in his chest and arm. He was taken to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival,” said a police release.

It was also reported that a .45 firearm and eight rounds of .45 ammunition, two portions of cocaine and a portion of cannabis were found on Chewitt.

The police say Chewitt was a suspect in several matters including the March 15 robbery of the Lions Club lotto booth at Heritage Square. Two persons were injured by gunshots in that incident.

But Suzette Chewitt, the dead man’s mother told SEARCHLIGHT that she does not believe the story given to her and that her son did not deserve to die that way.

“I feel real bad about it. I don’t have the strength…,” said Chewitt while standing outside the Everready Funeral Home at Frenches on Wednesday April 25.

Chewitt said she knew about her son’s killing the day after it happened, as she lives in Barbados. She took SEARCHLIGHT to see her son’s body at the funeral home where she pointed to the gunshot wound that killed her son.

A wound on the left side of his chest suggested that he was shot directly in the heart.

“I don’t even have the strength to talk. He get shoot close range in his chest because you could see it…all ah we is people and we know what going on. A small hole in he chest…. I want justice because police ain’t supposed to be no bad man killer,” said Chewitt.

The mother of four, Raffique being the eldest, said that a few weeks ago, Raffique and his pregnant girlfriend were detained by police and a police officer, whom she called by name, told the pregnant woman that he wanted to kill Raffique and the baby was in danger.

“More than once, he tell me the police use to always say they will kill him. This is just the start, they will kill other persons and we can’t allow this to happen,” said Chewitt.

She noted that the police said Raffique pulled a gun, but claims there is no evidence to show that. She added also that they said he was wanted in relation to the robbery of a lotto booth, but she doubts this is the truth as he was picked up, questioned and released in relation to that robbery.

“If he did something, present the evidence. If he pull a gun, we looking for evidence of this. If he is a criminal, give us the evidence. They already picked him up and let him go for the lotto booth robbery. He was never a suspect, they only use that to justify what they did.

“This is not police work, this is not Trinidad or Jamaica, this is St Vincent, a democratic country and we need justice. If you say he pull a gun prove it.

There were onlookers who afraid to come forward,” said Chewitt angrily.

She said it does not take expert analysis to see that Raffique was shot at close range; executed.

“It don’t take no expert.

It is an execution and they shoot he directly through his heart. They must realize he has a mother.

Whosoever shoot he, I know Raffi ain’t do nothing whatsoever because if he did it he would say he do it,” stressed Chewitt.

Another family member said while Raffique was being fingered as a robber, he does not think he had anything to do with the lotto booth robbery as a day before he was shot, Raffique had asked him for EC$200 to pay his rent.

RAFFIQUE CHEWITT aka War teacher (deceased)

FROM LEFT: Chewitt family friend Shelly Samuel, the dead man’s sister Ria and mother Suzette Chewiit, outside the Everready Funeral Home last week Wednesday.