Five in custody after house firebombed

Nagra Plunkett, Assignment Coordinator

WESTERN BUREAU:
Five men remain in police custody in connection with the mob killing of a man and the wounding of his daughter at their home in Zion near Falmouth, Trelawny.

An angry mob set fire to their dwelling yesterday morning, as they searched for a man who they believe is behind the death of two boys in the community.

The dead man has been identified as 43-year-old street cleaner Donovan Hazley.

It is understood that Hazley and his family were attacked about 2 o’ clock yesterday morning, when the mob firebombed their wooden dwelling.

When the occupants fled from the burning house, Hazley was allegedly chopped to death by men with machetes.

His daughter reportedly attempted to intervene and she was also attacked.

She has been admitted to hospital.

Residents were adamant that the culprit behind the death of the two boys is from the Zion community and is related to Hazley.

The boys, 10-year-old Alex Brown and seven-year old Javani Brown, were found near a river last Thursday, five days after they went missing.

Residents claimed that the boys were buggered and killed.

Meanwhile, crime officer for area one, Acting Senior Superintendent Derrick Champagnie, is to head a team which will conduct an in-depth investigation into the deaths of the two boys from Trelawny.

The police say a post-mortem conducted on the bodies yesterday concluded that death was caused by drowning.

However, they say there are signs to indicate the boys may have been injured before they died.

The police are appealing to residents of Zion district, not to carry out any act of vigilante justice or revenge in connection with the death of the two boys.

Head of Area One, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Devon Watkis, is seeking to assure residents that the Police are conducting a thorough investigation.

editorial@gleanerjm.com