You hear the cries daily, poor people, in the inner cities, crying out for justice! Usually, they are seeking some kind of ‘recompense’ from the state, for some perceived injustice meted out to them at the hands of agents of the State.
The cry for justice has become so all-pervasive, it is now a punchline for the culturally insensitive clods, who keep deluding themselves into thinking, that it’s only the Poor, who suffer these abuses, and that they are usually deserving of the injustice of which they speak.
How absolutely silly, of those who think that they are somehow immune and or protected because of their Name, their Job, and or their Address. And because they foolishly think, they are immune, see the cries for Justice, of the Poor, as their problem, so let them deal with it.
This blinkered way of thinking ignores the fact that the State has demonstrated that no one is safe from its excesses and overreach. As evidenced by the Murder of Businessman Keith Clarke, by Agents of the State, whilst presumably secure in his uptown Kirkland Heights home.
To date, 12-years after his murder, Keith Clarke’s Murderers are yet to face the Courts to answer for the extra-judicial killing. And even in his death, the Police, are yet to accuse Keith Clarke of any crime, that could justify the home invasion by members of the JDF; who eventually shot him over 21 times.
So, if Keith Clarke, a legit businessman, who hailed from the well-known Clarke family, was not safe within the confines of his home, then we should ask ourselves, Who Is?
So, if Keith Clarke was not safe in his home, imagine the poor and underserved in urban ghettos, who are forced to face the ignorance and brutality of many in the JCF and JDF, because of SOEs And ZOSOs, Who casually abuse those they are sworn to serve and protect, just because they can, and are not likely to be held accountable, by the State, who seems to be always ready to look the other way, when it comes to matters of The Police and or Soldiers, abusing Citizens.
So, there are the Soldiers and Police on the frontline, meeting out abuse and disrespect on steroids. Then you have the Office of the DPP, particularly DPP Paula Llewellyn, and the Judiciary, supposedly as the second line of defense, against the excesses of the state.
Now DPP Paula Llewellyn is perhaps one of the more loquacious DPPs we have had in the history of that office. She’s constantly in the news reminding Jamaicans of ‘her’ power to direct and or prefer charges, against supposed offenders. Curiously however, this same DPP has been odiously quiet, on some very high-profile cases, that, on the face of it, at least to the layman, a prima facie case has been made for the arrest of those involved, but to date, no arrests and in another major case, arrests were made, but to date, years after those arrests, there has been no trial, reports of a trial and certainly, no reports of a conviction. Which begs the question, whether goeth Justice in Jamaica?
And what role are the Offices of the DPP and the Judiciary, playing in administering Justice?
Let us revisit reports of a high-profile arrest/detention, by the Police, after they ‘Raided” a house somewhere in the Old Harbour locale, and reportedly found upwards of 50 million dollars in cash; a cache of expensive watches; and a number of high-priced SUVs.
A news report at the time said one of those arrested, informed the Police that the Cash, was given to him, by a Minister of Government, to invest. Strange, that reportedly was over 5 years ago, but to date, that case has not been resolved, at least not in the Courts, publicly.
Then there’s the curious case of the Murder of Junior Jermaine, in 2016, reportedly found dead, stabbed multiple times, and shot, in the home of then noted Attorney, (And Attorney of the Prime Minister) since then disbarred twice.
The reports at the time said, the Police saw no signs of Forced entry; those who know the property, say the property had a camera surveillance system and a pack of dogs, suggesting no one could gain unauthorized access to the property. But to date, No one has been criminally charged. And the Loquacious DPP, has been so silent on the subject, her silence has traumatized some.
Imagine this is Jamaica, where when the Police ‘raid’ a premises, and find an illegal Gun, all those present on the property, are not only taken into custody but are all charged with illegal possession of one firearm.
What has confused Jamaicans is the fact that Patrick Bailey, was reportedly the only person in the house where and when the mutilated body of Junior Jermaine was found, and to date, Patrick Bailey has not been charged.
In fact, to date, no one has been charged with the Murder of Junior Germaine..
Fast forward to January,13th, 2022, a young autistic boy, named Gabriel King, was found with his throat slashed in his Mother’s vehicle, after she was supposedly carjacked and her son inadvertently kidnapped in the process.
Now, in the mind of John Public, Gabriel’s Mother, Amoi Leon Issa, was the last known person to see him alive, ergo, in their untrained minds, that made the Mother the Primary suspect, in the ghastly murder of her child.
But what do you know, to date, no one has been charged, and The DPP has not made any ruling. And the Mother has been very busy stone-walling the investigators and investigations.
The DPP who has never seen a News Camera and Microphone, she didn’t like, suddenly developed some kind of a Phobia, of News cameras and microphones and apparently lost her voice, going silent on these two very public murders, No ruling, despite what seems to the public, clear and reasonable cause, warranting arrests. The fact that there has been no movement from her office in these two high-profile murders has created pause and what appears to be consternation among members of the public.
Already convinced that the deck is stacked against the poor and underserved, high-profile cases such as those highlighted above, do not instill confidence in the Police, Office of the DPP, or the Judiciary. In fact, it reinforces the widely held belief, that the Police, DPP, and the Judiciary work in cahoots to consistently deprive them of their rights and freedom, whilst protecting those who are connected, monied, and or have access to the politiratti.
For those willing to give the office of the DPP and the Judiciary the benefit of the doubt, the questions they want answered are: 1). Is the DPP selective in her rulings? (There are also suggestions that she is reticent to rule on matters whenever members of the JCF are accused of criminal behaviour).
And 2) Why does it take the Judiciary so long to dispose of cases, when charges are finally preferred? (Is there no concern for public concern, that the Judiciary is complicit in masking criminal behaviour in the JCF, JDF, and the political establishment?
Whatever their answers, the absence of Justice, as a deliverable, represents an existential threat, to the peace and security of all.
