Alleged gang leader charged with infant’s murder
WESTERN BUREAU — Twenty-three year-old Rohan “Don” Gordon, the alleged leader of the notorious renegade gang that has been linked to several crimes in St James, has been arrested and charged for last Monday night’s murder of eight-month-old Navaljah Colquhoun, in his Glendevon community.
The police have also fingered Gordon as a suspect in last Tuesday morning’s murder of 32-year-old Primrose Brown.
But according to the parish’s crime chief, deputy superintendent Derrick Knight, there is not yet enough evidence available to prove these suspicions. At a press conference Thursday, Knight launched an appeal for persons to come forward with information that could help break the case.
“We are not exposing (Gordon’s) photograph. But anybody who has come in contact with him and who he has committed an offence against can come forward now and feel satisfied that they will be protected,” the DSP said.
“We have this man in jail and we are going to do everything in our power, with (the public’s) assistance, to keep him there.”
At about 9:05 pm last Monday, little Navaljah was with her parents at their shop along Leonie Avenue when they were pounced upon by three gunmen who opened fire on them.
She was later pronounced dead at hospital while her parents were admitted in serious condition.
Less than 12 hours later, at about 8:05am Monday, the same gunmen reportedly went to Joans Avenue in the area and murdered Brown, who had condemned the earlier killing.
Meanwhile, three of Gordon’s cronies have also been arrested and charged for various crimes including shooting with intent and the illegal possession of firearm and ammunition. They are:
* Dwayne “Muzzo” Plumber, 25;
* Hugh “Briss” Norman, 26 and;
* 23-year-old Horace “Mad
Max” Sterling.
They are all of Glendevon addresses and now that they are behind bars, Knight said, residents could be assured that peace would be restored to the community.
“With (Gordon) behind bars and three of his lieutenants, things should be back to normal as it was in the first two weeks of January,” Knight said.
Norman and Plumber should have appeared in the Western Regional Gun Court Thursday but the Observer was unable to get details on the outcome of those proceedings.
And it will be at least another two weeks before Gordon, who has also been arrested on a warrant for shooting with intent, gets his day in court.
Knight explained Thursday that he would first have to face a number of identification parades.
“Gordon will face other identification parades as it relates to other offences, some committed last year. This is a man who has been on the run for the past year and half,” he said.
Added Knight: “We have already executed a warrant on him for shooting, away from the murder, and he will be facing at least five other identification parades in the coming week. So, we are looking at another two weeks before he is placed before the court.”
A team of more than 100 lawmen carried out operations in the problem areas of Flankers, Rose Heights, Norwood and Glendevon this week, taking a number of persons into custody.
Thirty persons were taken in on Tuesday and at least eight more on Wednesday. Of the 30 detained on the first day, 15 were later processed and released but 12 were held for further questioning. Plumber, Norman and Sterling were held on firearms charges, faced an identification parade and later charged.
Warrants are now out for 10 more members of the renegade gang and up to Thursday 15 persons were still being held for further questioning.