WILDMEAT ‘HIT’?

POLICE are working on several theories on the motive behind the killing of 50-year-old prison superintendent Wayne Jackson, with one being that he refused to allow a delivery of contraband into the prison.

Sources told Newsday that a delivery of wildmeat was supposed to pass through prison security and into the hands of prisoners, but when Jackson found out, he stopped it. This enraged the “big boys” in lock-up and a ‘hit’ was ordered from behind prison bars on Jackson.

Prison Officers’ Association (POA) president Ceron Richards would not confirm or deny whether this was the main motive behind Jackson’s murder, but said it was one of the more prevalent theories being looked at.

“People are getting killed for any little thing,” Richards lamented. “The same could be said for both inside and outside the prison. This is the country that we are living in.”

Newsday was also told that since Jackson was made head of the Maximum Security Prison earlier this year, three prison officers were arrested for smuggling contraband inside. This too is being carefully looked at by detectives investigating his murder.

Relatives awaiting the results of an autopsy on Jackson yesterday at the Forensic Science Centre in St James told Newsday he was a no-nonsense person but also described him as a dedicated father, husband and prison officer who boasted an unblemished 30 year record of service.

“He would enforce the rules and stand for what was the right thing, regardless of what anybody else is doing. He was the person who would make such a stand,” said a relative yesterday. Relatives said that last Sunday, Jackson and his family celebrated his 30th year in the prison service and his 30th wedding anniversary. They said he started working in the prison service two weeks after he was married.

Jackson’s last words to his family on Tuesday evening were, “I’m coming home,” as he left the prison in Golden Grove for his Malabar home. “It was nothing out of the ordinary,” said a relative yesterday. “He just called to say he was leaving.”

But what seemed to be an ordinary day for Jackson turned out to be his last. He pulled into his driveway near Larry Gomes Stadium in Malabar, Arima at about 7 pm, but before he could get out of his car, gunmen ambushed and shot him. Over 20 shots were fired.

Relatives said they did not even know he had arrived, but heard gunshots and went out to only to find Jackson dead in his car. “By the time we came outside, everything had already taken place, so no one was able to help him,” a relative said. Up to press time, no arrest was made.