Man may be sent back to Canada to face murder charge

A CANADIAN/VINCENTIAN said to be wanted in Canada for multiple charges related to the 2016 murder of a Rwandan refugee, will appear before the Serious Offences Court (SOC) today, June 28.

Shamora Robertson was escorted to the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court (KMC) by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Junior Simmons yesterday, June 27.

There, the prosecution, Corporal Corlene Samuel informed Senior Magistrate, Rickie Burnett that there is a warrant signed by the Chief Magistrate, Rechanne Browne, as it relates to Robertson. The matter is concerning extradition to Canada for murder.

She asked that Robertson be remanded into custody and appear at the SOC the following day.

After listening to the submission, the magistrate made orders to this effect.

Robertson was soon escorted away from the compound, along with other prisoners destined for the confines of Her Majesty’s Prisons. Before he was taken away, while still in the back of a police transport, an older male spoke with him and seemed to be asking the police questions in Robertson’s interest.

It is confirmed that the wanted Robertson’s parents are Vincentian but he was born in Canada.

A post from INTERPOL (the International Criminal Police Organisation) cites Shamora Robertson, born in Montreal Canada in February 1987, as being wanted in the place of his birth on charges of first degree murder, assault with a weapon, possession of firearm knowing its possession is unauthorized, and possession of prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition.

According to the newspaper the ‘Montreal Gazette’, Robertson is accused of the murder of Rwandan refugee Gilbert Nshimiyumukiza.

While reporting on the killing in 2016, the Gazette uncovered that Nshimiyumukiza left Rwanda for Canada in order to avoid the violence that he witnessed in his home country during the genocide, including the killing of both of his parents. However, he apparently struggled to forget what he witnessed, and became a drug user.

Then, a September 2018 article from the Gazette informed their reading public that just before the trial surrounding Nshimiyumukiza’s death, two accused, Jermaine Gero and Nikita Hunt (a Vincentian), pleaded guilty to second degree murder and manslaughter respectively. The duo said that the deceased owed money for drugs and a group of men went to collect this on April 30, 2016. Nshimiyumukiza was shot in the head during their visit to his apartment and subsequently died.