ST ANN, Jamaica — The St Ann police are reporting that within the last 24 hours, 42 people have been arrested and charged with breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act, which is in place to curtail the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The arrests took place at two separate parties in the parish.

The police said they received information about an illegal party in the Wilberforce community in Brown’s Town about 9 o’clock last night.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Kevin Francis also said they learnt that Manton Brown, a man wanted for murder, was at the same location.

“We went in search of the individual and came across the party and on the approach of the police persons ran in different directions. The police were able to widen out the area and take into custody 38 people who were left at the location,” Francis told OBSERVER ONLINE.

He said the police failed to capture Brown, who was named a suspect in the murder of Leabert Piper, one of the accused perpetrators in the murder of a Chinese businessman in St Ann three years ago.

Piper was killed on February 20 in Philadelphia Brown’s Town.

The police reported that prior to the arrests in Wilberforce, they had responded to the event and observed that there was no social distancing and patrons were not wearing their masks.

The lawmen subsequently ordered the patrons to disperse but upon returning to the venue, noticed that the people had not complied with their orders.

“A police officer gave warning to them about the parties that were held in the area but there was no compliance, hence the police took action,” Francis said.

He noted that lawmen also responded to a similar event earlier that evening in Crocodile City in Runaway Bay and four people were arrested and charged.

Last Thursday, Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence for the Brown’s Town Division voiced her concerns at the monthly municipal meeting about the number of killings, illegal events, and people who were breaching the curfew orders.

“The curfew hours should be at 8:00 and if you go through Brown’s Town people are still there, taxi drivers, places open at 9:00 and ten o’clock, and to be honest we as the working class people are afraid because we know once it starts it’s going to continue,” Brown said.

Superintendent Dwight Powell refuted her claims, reiterating that only two killings were done in the area and that the victims were not reputable.

“Since the start of this year, we have had two murders in Brown’s Town, one in Philadelphia and the other in Enfield. The only nexus between these two incidents is that both victims are not necessary persons of good repute,” Powell said.

“So those two victims may have been killed because of their criminal lifestyle.”

Powell however appealed to residents to adhere to COVID-19 containment measures, as there are limited police resources to curtail the illegal parties.

Powell opted not to release the names of those charged but said the partygoers will appear before the Brown’s Town Circuit Court on May 4.

Donicka Robinson