Whyte: Story about washing soap doesn’t make sense

The family of Othneil Whyte is demanding a Coroner’s Inquest into the death of their relative.{{more}}

Whyte’s eldest son Abdon, who has become the family’s spokesperson, informed SEARCHLIGHT that steps have been taken to get to the truth behind what caused their father, a Customs Guard stationed in Union Island, to drown during an incident on June 3, off the coast of Union Island.

Othneil and a police officer from the Rapid Response Unit (RRU) were allegedly fired upon by Venezuelans aboard the boat “El Amigo Fay”, after they discovered what was believed to be cocaine on the Venezuelans’ fishing vessel.

In the ensuing shoot-out, three of the nine men on board were shot and killed, while one was injured, and the other five were eventually taken into police custody.

Following the shoot-out, Whyte, 55, was unaccounted for, but was later discovered in the sea water with a weak pulse.

He died shortly after at the Union Island Health Centre.

His autopsy revealed that he died as a result of drowning.

Abdon Whyte, in an interview with SEARCHLIGHT this week, said that there are now more questions being asked than there are answers, given the latest developments regarding the case.

“We spoke to a lawyer concerning the whole incident, and we have asked for a Coroner’s Inquest into the circumstances surrounding my father’s death, because of what we read in the papers, no charges will be brought in relation to my father’s death.

“….According to what is in the papers, there is no mention of charges relating to daddy’s death; so was there a Coroner’s Inquest into the whole incident? And if there was, was it ruled accidental? And if it wasn’t ruled accidental, who was responsible for the death?” Whyte asked.

“You can’t tell me that he went out to do his job, shots started to fire all over the place, and now you telling me that you not charging anybody, or you are not looking in to see how exactly he died? To us that is very insulting.”

Whyte also questioned if his father jumped overboard, in order to escape being shot, or if perhaps something happened to him that caused him to go into the water.

He said that there were people who reported seeing something or someone being thrown overboard, before the shooting began.

“Was he pushed? Was he thrown? Did he jump? We need to know exactly how he got into the water.”

Whyte, a graduate teacher at the Union Island Secondary School, also lamented that no family member was able to witness their father’s autopsy, which took place on June 7.

According to Whyte, he was not able to ‘stomach’ the proceedings, and while an uncle of his offered to view the post mortem on his behalf, he wasn’t allowed to do so.

Whyte also questioned reports that the package which was pulled from the sea, tied to an anchor, turned out to contain washing soap and not cocaine as was previously believed.

He believes that there was cocaine somewhere on the vessel.

“You want to tell me that that boat would leave Venezuela to come up here with soap powder? It didn’t have diesel, it didn’t have gas, and you won’t make that long trip for nothing.

“So, by telling me you strapped on a package on an anchor and throw it overboard, and you shooting at police defending soap powder; that doesn’t make sense to me, it doesn’t add up. We are not accepting that,” he added.

He also questioned what tests were done on the substance to verify that it was not cocaine but indeed detergent.

While he does not want to say that a conspiracy or cover-up is taking place, nor does he want to place blame, Whyte is of the view that pieces of the puzzle are missing, and he hopes the authorities can give the answers as soon as possible.

“I believe they were shot at… but I don’t think he was right next to the police when the shots were fired….”

Regarding his father, Whyte indicated that the family is on the verge of accepting that he is no longer with them, but the latest revelations are making it difficult to do so.

“Back then, we were grieving, but now we need closure. I think we need to know what circumstances my father died under, and who, if anybody, is responsible for his death. I think we owe that to him.

“Daddy was everything to this home… not only to this family but to everybody. He was a man who helped out real people, even with the little things. And now we are starting to miss him and the things he used to do that we would have considered as small.

“There are more questions than answers and I am going to do everything in my power to get them,” Whyte said.

Four of the nine foreigners who were on the boat El Amigo Fay appeared at the Serious Offences Court last Friday, charged with attempted murder and attempted kidnapping of Corporal Rohan DeShong of the Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force.

The captain of the vessel, Degry Mata Vicent, 28, a Venezuelan, in addition to the attempted murder and attempted kidnapping charges, has to answer to two additional charges. He is also charged with failing to notify the Comptroller of Customs of the expected time of arrival of his vessel in St Vincent and the Grenadines on June 3, and failure to transmit the date in accordance with Section 18C of the Customs Act to the Comptroller of Customs.

The other Venezuelan seamen who appeared in court were Deybi Jose Mata Vicent, 22, Heuwerto Rafael Mata Mata, 55 and Darwind Mata Salazar, 27.

The men were not required to plea to the indictable offences. They were denied bail, as their lawyer Stephen Williams did not waste the court’s time in making a bail application, because of the nature of the offences and the nationality of the persons charged.

They have been remanded in custody and will return to court on October 31, when the Preliminary Inquiry into the charges laid before them will begin.

SEARCHLIGHT understands that the bodies of the three slain men: David Jose Mata Mata, Natividad de Jesus Mata Mata and Alfonso Yesid Pallares Medina, were returned to Venezuela, along with one of the suspects, believed to be 17 years old.