No vigilante justice welcomed – RSVGPF

The Royal St Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) welcomes the assistance of the public but does not support vigilante justice.

That statement by Deputy Commissioner of Police Frankie Joseph comes in the wake of a beating administered to Simeon “Gabo” Francois in Petit Bordel on Friday, May 18.

Francois was a person of interest in the rape a 10-year-old girl and was wanted by police.

He was caught and beaten by angry villagers at about 12:40 pm in a wooded area next to the Petit Bordel waterfall, the same area where the assault on the girl is alleged to have taken place.

A video circulating on social media shows police officers lifting a motionless, half naked Francois into a vehicle while villagers hurl insults at him. He was rushed to the Chateaubelair Health Clinic.

“The general public has been supportive of the police and we have a good working relationship.

St Vincent and the Grenadines is a Christian society and we have to ensure that we keep it that way,” Deputy Commissioner Joseph told members of the media during a press briefing last Tuesday at police headquarters in Kingstown.

He stressed, “We are not in any way supporting vigilante justice, vigilante justice in our estimation is for societies that are lawless, and the police force is in no way, shape or form promoting or supporting vigilante justice. It has never been a part of our culture and therefore it should never inculcate into our culture.”

The Deputy Commissioner said they are very thankful that the public are in support of the police, but whenever someone commits a crime, that person is by law, innocent until proven guilty.

“Proving or disapproving the innocence of any individual does not lie with any community, that must be determined by the court of law,” said the experienced policeman.

He noted that when investigating an offence, the police does not want that the main witness becomes a fatality, leaving the first offence unsolved.

“We are the only investigative arm in St Vincent and the Grenadines and we are responsible for investigating every single offence so … while we are very grateful for the working relationship that we have with St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we are also going to caution and discourage every single citizen not to take matters into their own hands.

“If a person commits him or herself and the police send out a notice that such person is wanted for an offence, we greatly appreciate the general public, if they have any information to give us that information, so we can make an arrest. If the residents can restrain, we are encouraging the public to use the force that is necessary to restrain or to take that person to the police because we are not going to encourage or tolerate vigilante justice,” said Joseph.

He said while he understands persons are sometimes passionate and sympathetic towards victims, there are laws, and while doing a good deed, we cannot break the laws.

The Deputy Commissioner also confirmed that the man beaten was the person wanted by police and he is in “good condition” at the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital (MCMH) and will be charged with various offences.

On May 14, police issued a bulletin stating that Francois is a person of interest in a report of alleged abduction, attempted rape, indecent assault and assault, bodily harm.