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Criminals terrorise Hanover districts
Royale Rest protesters claim victimisation
MARK CUMMINGS, Observer West senior reporter
Thursday, March 13, 2008
DK Duncan addresses residents in Hanover. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
BURNT GROUND, Hanover
The Shettlewood and Burnt Ground communities of Hanover are still tense following a spate of shootings and robberies of homes belonging to detractors of Dale Delapenha's Royal Rest cemetery.
Investigators say the ordeal started at about 9 o' clock on Tuesday night in Shettlewood when three men armed with hand guns and knives went to the home of 33-year-old auto mechanic, Jermaine Clarke, and shot up his house.
Clarke reportedly took evasive action during the gunfire and managed to escape injury.
According to police, the gunmen then went to the home of a 52-year-old female accountant and attempted to steal her white Toyota motorcar.
The hoodlums then reportedly fired several shots damaging sections of her verandah before fleeing.
From there, the police said, the gunmen then went to the nearby Burnt Ground community, where they kicked off a door to a house said to be occupied by 46-year-old taxi operator Michael Hendricks, and robbed him of an undetermined amount of money.
"They later took him away in his white Toyota motorcar registered PC 7717 to his 61- year-old mother's home- which is a few chains away- where they robbed her of $1,800 and took a large quantity of grocery from her shop," the police said.
The police said the gunmen then left in Hendricks' car and while travelling on the Burnt Ground mainroad they came upon Patrick Stephens, a 42- year-old plumber and his 18-year-old niece, who had just alighted from a bus.
"When the gunmen saw them, they drove pass them, then stopped the car. Two of the gunmen came of the vehicle and moved towards Patrick and her niece. They both ran and the gunmen fired shots, hitting Patrick in the right arm. They then abducted his niece and took her to the Chester Castle area, where she was stripped of her clothes and asked to perform sexual favours," the police said.
The teenager reportedly refused and managed to escape the gunmen who fired several shots in her direction.
Yesterday, the teenager who appeared to be traumatised told reporters of her ordeal.
She said after she managed to free herself from her abductors, she submerged herself in a nearby pond for quite sometime, to avoid being shot by the gunmen who fired several shots in her direction.
At the break of dawn, the teenager said, she stumbled on a house where the occupants gave her items of clothing and later took her to the Ramble Police station where she reported the incident.
"These shootings followed a successful meeting of over 300 citizens from the communities associated with the proposed cemetery, at Burnt Ground, with the Minister of Health and Environment, Mr Ruddy Spencer, the MP for Eastern Hanover and the leadership of the Ramble Community Development Committee (CDC)," noted Elaine Clarke, the secretary of the Ramble CDC.
She added that the homes that came under attack belonged to community leaders and members who spoke out strongly against the presence of the Royale Rest cemetery, during a meeting with Minister Spencer earlier in the day.
The meeting - set up by the residents - saw Spencer along with representatives from his ministry and NEPA touring sections of the community and listening to the concerns of the residents.
During the meeting, Spencer told the gathering that he was hoping that the matter would be resolved soon, and urged the citizens to abide by the ruling of the Court.
"I understand your passion and we are obliged to accept the ruling of the Courts," Spencer said. "I would rather have an approach where both parties (Delapenha and residents) decide to cool off and then we would have some meaningful discussions, but that is not to be, so let us hope it will be resolved soon," he added.
Member of Parliament for the area, Dr D K Duncan, also condemned the incidents.
In recent weeks, residents have been protesting against the development of the Delapenha's Royale Rest cemetery.
They claim that the development of the facility is likely to have a negative impact on their water supply.
The residents have also claimed that since they have stepped up their protest actions in recent weeks, they have been faced with intimidation.
Last Thursday, the Ramble CDC filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking leave for a judicial review of the National Environment and Planning Agency's decision to grant a permit to Delapenha's Funeral Home to conduct burials in the area.
The matter is scheduled to be heard in the Supreme Court on March 27
Royale Rest protesters claim victimisation
MARK CUMMINGS, Observer West senior reporter
Thursday, March 13, 2008
DK Duncan addresses residents in Hanover. (Photo: Alan Lewin)
BURNT GROUND, Hanover
The Shettlewood and Burnt Ground communities of Hanover are still tense following a spate of shootings and robberies of homes belonging to detractors of Dale Delapenha's Royal Rest cemetery.
Investigators say the ordeal started at about 9 o' clock on Tuesday night in Shettlewood when three men armed with hand guns and knives went to the home of 33-year-old auto mechanic, Jermaine Clarke, and shot up his house.
Clarke reportedly took evasive action during the gunfire and managed to escape injury.
According to police, the gunmen then went to the home of a 52-year-old female accountant and attempted to steal her white Toyota motorcar.
The hoodlums then reportedly fired several shots damaging sections of her verandah before fleeing.
From there, the police said, the gunmen then went to the nearby Burnt Ground community, where they kicked off a door to a house said to be occupied by 46-year-old taxi operator Michael Hendricks, and robbed him of an undetermined amount of money.
"They later took him away in his white Toyota motorcar registered PC 7717 to his 61- year-old mother's home- which is a few chains away- where they robbed her of $1,800 and took a large quantity of grocery from her shop," the police said.
The police said the gunmen then left in Hendricks' car and while travelling on the Burnt Ground mainroad they came upon Patrick Stephens, a 42- year-old plumber and his 18-year-old niece, who had just alighted from a bus.
"When the gunmen saw them, they drove pass them, then stopped the car. Two of the gunmen came of the vehicle and moved towards Patrick and her niece. They both ran and the gunmen fired shots, hitting Patrick in the right arm. They then abducted his niece and took her to the Chester Castle area, where she was stripped of her clothes and asked to perform sexual favours," the police said.
The teenager reportedly refused and managed to escape the gunmen who fired several shots in her direction.
Yesterday, the teenager who appeared to be traumatised told reporters of her ordeal.
She said after she managed to free herself from her abductors, she submerged herself in a nearby pond for quite sometime, to avoid being shot by the gunmen who fired several shots in her direction.
At the break of dawn, the teenager said, she stumbled on a house where the occupants gave her items of clothing and later took her to the Ramble Police station where she reported the incident.
"These shootings followed a successful meeting of over 300 citizens from the communities associated with the proposed cemetery, at Burnt Ground, with the Minister of Health and Environment, Mr Ruddy Spencer, the MP for Eastern Hanover and the leadership of the Ramble Community Development Committee (CDC)," noted Elaine Clarke, the secretary of the Ramble CDC.
She added that the homes that came under attack belonged to community leaders and members who spoke out strongly against the presence of the Royale Rest cemetery, during a meeting with Minister Spencer earlier in the day.
The meeting - set up by the residents - saw Spencer along with representatives from his ministry and NEPA touring sections of the community and listening to the concerns of the residents.
During the meeting, Spencer told the gathering that he was hoping that the matter would be resolved soon, and urged the citizens to abide by the ruling of the Court.
"I understand your passion and we are obliged to accept the ruling of the Courts," Spencer said. "I would rather have an approach where both parties (Delapenha and residents) decide to cool off and then we would have some meaningful discussions, but that is not to be, so let us hope it will be resolved soon," he added.
Member of Parliament for the area, Dr D K Duncan, also condemned the incidents.
In recent weeks, residents have been protesting against the development of the Delapenha's Royale Rest cemetery.
They claim that the development of the facility is likely to have a negative impact on their water supply.
The residents have also claimed that since they have stepped up their protest actions in recent weeks, they have been faced with intimidation.
Last Thursday, the Ramble CDC filed an application in the Supreme Court seeking leave for a judicial review of the National Environment and Planning Agency's decision to grant a permit to Delapenha's Funeral Home to conduct burials in the area.
The matter is scheduled to be heard in the Supreme Court on March 27
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