Health officials confirmed yesterday that there has been a sixth death from the Influenza A (H1N1) Swine flu virus. To date, there have been 177 laboratory-confirmed cases of the virus.
The name, gender or additional details about the sixth person to die were not immediately forthcoming, but the Ministry of Health has said that the individual “was within the high risk group”.
Persons who wish to get more H1N1/Swine Flu virus information, can call the Ministry of Health’s toll free line – 1-888-663-5683 – or contact the health department in their parish.
Two women, who reportedly accepted cash from the relatives of an accused person in a murder case for which they were selected as jurors, were arrested during a sting operation in the female bathroom of a fast-food store in May Pen, Clarendon, yesterday. When the money was handed over and a female police officer then intervened to arrest them, one of the women was reportedly so frightened that she dropped the money and wet herself.
The women have been identified as 44 year old domestic helper Verona Samuels of Freetown in Clarendon, and 23 year old professional model Natalie Sill of Web Lane in the same parish. According to police reports, Samuels was the foreman on a 12-member jury in a case of murder against Rohan ‘Blazer’ Johnson. Johnson was the reputed head of the Lionel Town-based King Street gang, and is charged with the shooting death of an ex-policeman. They allegedly contacted Johnson’s family, offering to ensure that he was found not guilty in exchange for J$1.5 million. The family members reportedly contacted the police, and a sting operation was set up.
Both women were charged with perverting the course of justice, and were taken immediately before the May Pen Resident Magistrate’s Court where they were remanded in custody.
Cable & Wireless Jamaica Ltd. widened its losses for its fiscal second quarter (Q02 2009) and half year ended September 30, 2009. The telecom giant posted a loss per share of J$0.11 for the half year, compared with J$0.02 yoy.
For the quarter, CWJamaica’s loss deteriorated to J$0.08 per share, versus J$0.01 in the prior year. The second quarter’s revenues were down 9.92%, which the company attributes to the challenging economic environment. Gross margin also narrowed to 64.33% from 65.63% during the quarter, year-over-year.
61 year old Mandeville businessman Vincent Young, of a Beverly Green address in Manchester, was reportedly shot and killed by gunmen during a robbery at his supermarket in Mandeville yesterday.
According to police reports, Young and his wife were closing their business place last night at approximately 10:15 p.m. when four men, three armed with guns, approached and demanded money. He refused and the gunmen opened fire, hitting him several times. Young reportedly pulled his licensed revolver and fired at the men, but not before they took a bag with an undetermined sum of cash and cheques, as well as his wife’s handbag.
The robbers reportedly escaped in a white Toyota motor car. Young was taken to the Mandeville hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Two robbers, who had just robbed and stabbed a 49 year old man repeatedly along Red Hills Road yesterday, were then shot and killed by vigilante gunmen along Park Lane in the community.
According to police reports, the men robbed the man of $100 then stabbed him multiple times. They later met their demise when they ran into the Park Lane community, and explosions were heard, and both men were later found lying in pools of blood on the roadway. They are still unidentified.
The robbery victim was taken to hospital where he was admitted in serious condition.
A female trainee teacher – who reportedly attends a prominent teachers’ college in Western Jamaica – and her boyfriend, are among five persons who were arrested and jointly charged yesterday with illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
The trainee teacher has been identified as 18 year old Kadian Hylton of Bottom Cambridge in St. James. Her boyfriend was identified as 29 year old Joshua ‘Joshie’ Anderson of Paradise, Norwood, St. James.
According to police reports, at approximately 3 a.m. yesterday morning, a white Toyota Corolla with one female and four female passengers was stopped and searched by the police along the Cambridge main road. A Sig Sauer 9mm pistol was reportedly taken from the waistband of the woman. According to the police, the group were responsible for firing a barrage of shots earlier that night at a dance in Seaford, Westmoreland.
Yesterday’s seizure comes just days after a 13 year old St. James school girl was held with a gun in her school bag.
Goat thieves raided three farms in Old Harbour and Portmore in the wee hours yesterday morning, and made off with 38 goats in total. 30 of the goats were butchered on the spot on the farms. Eight of the butchered goats were pregnant and the goat fetuses were left along with the adult goat heads and skin on the ground.
The Old Harbour police managed to recover 15 of the goat carcasses while on patrol along Darlington Drive in Old Harbour that same morning. According to police reports, at approximately 2:30 a.m. yesterday morning, a Toyota Caldena station wagon sped off on their approach. The police gave chase and two men eventually abandoned the vehicle in the region of Church Pen, firing shots as they did. They managed to escape in nearby bushes, and the goat carcasses were found in the trunk of the abandoned vehicle.
The police have so far traced the vehicle’s registration to Port Antonio, Portland, and a search is on for the two men who escaped.
On Wednesday (November 4), the police in St. James arrested and jointly charged a 13 year old school girl (who attends a secondary school in the parish) and a 21 year old male crony. They were charged with illegal possession of firearm and ammunition, following the recovery of a handgun that was concealed in the girl’s school bag.
According to police reports, at about 5:20 p.m. on Wednesday, the police were conducted an operation in the Anchovy community, when they searched a school bag that the girl was carrying. During the search, a .38 Intra Arm Rossi revolver with serial number W291505 and loaded with five 9mm cartridges was found. She was questioned, and after further investigation, the 21 year old man was apprehended.
The police have not yet revealed the identities of the minor and her accomplice, but they are reportedly booked to appear in the Western Regional Gun Court soon. Wednesday’s discovery brings to 48 the number of illegal guns recovered in St. James since the start of the year.
Sandra ‘Sandy’ Supersad, general manager of the popular Xtras boutique stores, was gunned down on Waterloo Close in Kingston late yesterday evening.
According to reports, Supersad was exiting her motor vehicle, when two men on a motorbike approached. The pillion rider reportedly alighted from the bike and shot her in the head. She was rushed to the University Hospital of the West Indies where she was pronounced dead.
The police are reportedly suspecting that her murder was a contract killing, as nothing was taken from her by the gunmen during the incident. Witnesses say the gunmen escaped by speeding away down Waterloo Avenue and then onto Surbiton Road on their powerful motorbike.
Members of the Public are hereby advised that Mr. Malcolm Rowe, Attorney-at-Law, who practiced at Main Street, Christiana, P.O. Box 15636 in the parish of Manchester, has been struck from the Roll of Attorneys-at-Law entitled to practice in the several courts in the island of Jamaica. This order was delivered on the 24th October 2009.
The Disciplinary Committee of the General Legal Council, after hearing evidence in the complaint brought by Ms. Claris Rattigan against Mr. Malcolm Rowe, and in particular found that Mr. Malcolm Rowe failed to pay over to the compliant, part of the proceeds of sale in relation to property in Spaldings in the parish of Clarendon for which Mr. Malcolm Rowe had carriage of sale, and the evidence disclosed that Mr. Malcolm Rowe had received part proceeds of sale.
The Disciplinary Committee concluded that Mr. Malcolm Rowe is guilty of professional misconduct in that the evidence on the complaint disclosed that he has failed to maintain the honour and dignity of the profession and had acted in a manner which tended to discredit the profession to which he belonged.
Mr. Malcolm Rowe is not entitled to practice as an Attorney-at-Law in Jamaica and is not to be employed in that capacity by any member of the public.
Attorneys-at-Law are also reminded of Section 20 (1) of the Legal Profession Act which reads as follows, “No Attorney shall, in connection with his practice as a lawyer, without the written permission of the Council, which may be given for such period and subject to such conditions as the Council thinks fit, employ or remunerate any person who to his knowledge is disqualified from practicing as a lawyer by reason of the fact that his name has been struck off the Roll, otherwise than at his own request, or that he is suspended from practicing as a lawyer.”
Dated the 3rd day of November 2009
Secretary, General Legal Council
