SOCRATES David ‘Rambo’ Johnson, 27, who was allegedly killed by lawmen under questionable circumstances off Chisholm Avenue in Kingston on April 4, has been laid to rest.

Johnson’s thanksgiving service was held at Fellowship Tabernacle Church on Fairfield Avenue in Kingston on May 5, the birthday of his mother, Audrey McKenzie, who is now deceased.

The late afternoon service began with opening remarks and a brief prayer by moderator Minister Michael McIntosh followed by a praise and worship session hosted by the Fellowship Tabernacle Praise Team.

As the team belted out powerful gospel songs, Johnson’s family members, relatives and close friends openly wept. His common-law wife, Namishay Clarke, was completely overwhelmed, and had to be consoled by fellow mourners.

After the opening hymn How Great Thou Art, the first two tributes were offered in song by Juliet Terrells, Rambo’s sister-in-law, who did a rendition of the popular song A Change is Gonna Come, and Nadine McKenzie, a close friend.

Before singing, Terrells told mourners that she chose the song because after she heard of Johnson’s killing, she reflected on a conversation she had with him.

“I knew he would have brought forward a change in his life,” she commented.

There was one opening for a random mourner to offer tribute and Jerome Smith, a neighbour of Johnson, gracefully took the opportunity.

Smith also spoke of a recent conversation with ‘Rambo’.

“He said I should continue doing what I was doing” said Smith. “I was happy that he looked up to me and the example that I set,” Smith continued, before voicing concern for other young people at the service, imploring them to commit their lives to God.

According to the programme, Rambo’s girlfriend, Namishay Clarke, was scheduled to offer the remembrance of the man with whom she spent most of her adult life.

But she was only able to write it. Instead, it was delivered by Samantha Small, cousin of the deceased.

Small said it was a devastating moment for her when she received a phone call about her cousin’s killing and recounted how be became ‘Rambo’.

“After recovering from a sickness, his father said ‘No man, yu mus’ be a Rambo fi get betta so fass’ and from that day, the name stuck with him until death,” said Small.

She recalled when Clarke was shot in one of her legs, became wheelchair bound and Rambo took care of her before their son was born in 2008.

“Namishay was accidentally shot in the leg. She spent a little time in the hospital and when she came out, she was in a wheelchair. It was during this time, that you saw the true colour of Socrates David Johnson,” said Small, who broke down in tears.

“He spent his time taking care of her. He would not leave her side. You could hear them coming through the gate with the wheelchair,” she added as tears flowed.

“You [could have seen] him holding her. You saw God shining through him. You saw what Jesus would do,” she said.

According to police reports, Johnson, who was from an Upper Waltham Avenue, Kingston 11 address, was fatally shot about three o’clock on April 4.

The matter has been reported to the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) and is being investigated by the Bureau of Special Investigations.

The killing drew remarks of condemnation from members of civil society, including Jamaicans for Justice (JFJ) and the Reverend Al Miller at whose church the memorial service was held.

Johnson was interred at Meadowrest Memorial Gardens in St Catherine.