• STRIFE IN NORTH LEEWARD WORRIES POLICE

Charges are expected to be laid by today on Lenroy Edwards a 22-year-old Petit Bordel farmer.

Up to Wednesday he was a patient at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital with a .22 bullet still lodged to the right side of his buttocks. Edward was slated for surgery today. But when he is released, he will have another set of worries with which to contend.{{more}}

And the North Leeward portion of mainland St. Vincent was the focus of attention for police last week.

According to a release from the Public Relations and Complaints Department, a number of charges, including possession of an unlicensed firearm and criminal assault are expected to be preferred against him.

Edwards was the centre of attraction last week Thursday while the Petit Bordel Secondary School was holding its Sports meet.

Edwards’ mother and foster mother Valmay and Molly Edwards told SEARCHLIGHT that their son was approached by police who threatened to shoot him. In their version of events, their son was shot and left bleeding on the ground while three policemen fled the scene.

But other reports say that Edwards was approached and questioned by Police when he attempted to run away. What is certain is that in the subsequent melee, on the compound of the Petit Bordel Secondary School, Edwards was shot.

According to the Public Relations and Complaints Department, “a 9mm pistol was taken from Edwards”.

Edwards was first hospitalized at the Chateaubelair Hospital then subsequently transferred to the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital.

That incident though, perhaps paled in significance to another gunplay incident at Rose Hall.

However, on that occasion, members of the Serious Crimes Unit were on hand to deal with a murder at the North Leeward village. The officers were following up investigations into an earlier stabbing death in that same village which saw Clifton ‘Ling’ Cain succumbing to knife injuries.

This time, almost at high noon last Sunday, the Police were again called into action.

They responded after Haljah Robertson died almost on the doorsteps of the Rose Hall Police Station. He ran there and disclosed to the Police the name of the man who had inflicted the wound on him.

Robertson, a 37-year-old labourer, died from wounds to the abdomen.

Last Tuesday, Phillip Williams, a 37-year-old labourer appeared before the Magistrate charged with the Murder of Robertson. He is slated to return to court on April 6. The police are meanwhile giving themselves enough time to carry out forensic tests on vital aspects of the investigations.

Williams, meanwhile, has another case to face as he is charged jointly with Joycelyn Stapleton, a 37-year-old domestic. They are charged with the possession of three pounds of cannabis with intent to supply.

In other action, Dwight Lewis a 26-year-old Rose Hall man was arrested and charged for having a .25 pistol and four rounds of ammunition at Biabou last Sunday.

Casius Hamlet a 36-year-old Cane End painter was arrested and charged last Friday, March 4, for having five rounds of .38 ammunition without a licence.