[UPDATED] Murder charge for cop in PC Gilkes’ death

A police officer has been charged with the murder of PC Clarence Gilkes and another charged with shooting at an unarmed man with intent to cause harm.

Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, gave investigators the green light late on Friday night to charge PC Kristian Genty, 28, of Diego Martin, with murder and shooting with intent to harm Jehlano Romney and to charge WPC Crystal Williams-Bowman, 30, of East Dry River, Port of Spain, with shooting at Romney with intent to cause harm.

A third officer, Cpl Kerwin Dominique, who provided crucial evidence to investigators, was released without charge.

Genty and Williams-Bowman, who were last assigned to the Western Division Task Force, were charged at the St Joseph Police Station early Saturday. Williams-Bowman was released on $500,000 bail by Justice of the Peace Stephen Young pending her court appearance on Monday. Genty is also expected to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate virtually on Monday.

His lawyers Israel Khan, SC, Ulric Skerritt and Arissa Maharaj intend to make an application for him to be released on bail pending the outcome of the matter.

Gilkes, 44, of La Resource Road, D'Abadie, and a member of the Western Division Task Force, was among 12 officers of the task force who responded to a report of men armed with rifles at Upper Richplain Road, Diego Martin on April 22.

Gilkes was with three officers, including Genty and Williams-Bowman, when they allegedly confronted Romney on a flight of steps. Romney claimed he was unarmed and that Gilkes and two officers opened fire without warning but he managed to dodge the bullets.

Gilkes was shot from behind to the neck and collapsed while Romney ran off.

The injured officer was taken for treatment but subsequently died. His brother Mervyn Gilkes said he preferred not to comment just yet on the developments on Saturday.

In a release, the police said Genty and Williams-Bowman were armed with police-issued weapons when they approached a man and fired several shots at him. Genty allegedly shot Gilkes who later died from his injuries at the St James Medical Health Facility.

Acting Commissioner of Police Mc Donald Jacob commenting on the development told Sunday Newsday the team approach to solving the crime was instrumental in getting justice in the matter.

He said it would be imprudent to say more as his comments may prejudice the fair trial of the accused. Jacob is expected to be a witness in the matter as he had made statements shortly after the crime which contradicted the facts of the case based on information he had gotten from officers of the Western Division.

In the police release, he said he was satisfied the matter had been "investigated thoroughly, and correct procedure" followed.

Jacob thanked all the investigators who worked on the case and said officers of the Victim and Witness Support Unit and Social Work Unit will provide the necessary counsel and support needed to the officers and the families involved in this matter.

He also said the Police Service Social and Welfare Association will also assist by providing the necessary legal support for the officers.

Gaspard advised police to charge a constable with murder, and another with shooting with intent, in the death of PC Gilkes.

His advice followed a detailed police interview with two of the officers under caution at the Professional Standards Bureau (PSB), Matco Building, Henry Street, Port of Spain on Friday. The interview spanned seven and a half hours, sources said.

The investigators met Gaspard at his Winsure Street, Port of Spain, office shortly after 7.30 pm on Friday.

Three officers, including a woman, were detained after they responded to a request to be interviewed on Friday morning, and two of them gave their accounts in the presence of their lawyers, Khan and Maharaj. They are also being represented by Skerritt who is out of the country.

A third officer was not questioned under caution, and gave a voluntary statement about an entry he made in the police station diary relating to the events which led to Gilkes' death, sources said.

Romney declined comment when contacted on Saturday. He was called in to identify two of the officers on Friday at PSB.

The shooting incident was first reported as an attack on police and Romney was blamed for Gilkes’ death.

Over 100 officers responded in search of Romney, who was described as armed and dangerous, in the hills of Diego Martin, Carenage and other areas.

Jacob, who arrived at the crime scene, dressed in tactical gear, was first briefed by officers of the task force and later by head of the division Snr Supt Kelvern Thompson.

In response to questions from the media that night, Jacob said criminals had declared war on the police, which accounted for the significant police response.

Romney managed to elude capture by hiding in a cave and later made his way to Venezuela by boat. He later surrendered to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) and gave a detailed, video recorded statement before being interviewed by police. He has since reported threats and acts of intimidation by police assigned to the Western Division to the PCA during the police probe.

In response, Jacob intends to transfer some of the officers accused of wrongdoing, Sunday Newsday has learned.

The head of the division was initially sent on leave and later transferred to the Transport and Telecom Branch.

After an autopsy revealed it was a police bullet that had killed Gilkes, the acting CoP suspended three officers, including a woman, pending the outcome of parallel investigations being done by the PCA and the PSB.

Last month, the PCA said it had concluded its investigation into the matter and found the worst case of police abuse and a deliberate attempt by officers of the Western Division to mislead Jacob. It made recommendations of serious criminal offences against the officers to the DPP.

The PSB’s ACP Joseph Chandool and Snr Supt Suzette Martin had been liaising with Gaspard during the two-and-half month probe which included acting Sgt Mohammed, acting Cpl Joefield, WPC Charles, WPC Mc Lean, acting W/Cpl Sampson and PC Heera. Port of Spain CID officers also assisted.

The development comes on the heels of eight officers being charged with murder over the June 27, 2020, killing of three men at Juman Drive, Second Caledonia, Morvant, and two other recent police killings on July 2 which are under review by the PCA and the PSB where three young men were shot dead at the corner of Chacon Street and Independence Square, Port of Spain, and another unrelated incident where Tristan "Ratty" Springer, 24, was shot dead at his Cipriani Avenue, Second Caledonia, Morvant home.

This story was originally published with the title "Cop charged with PC Gilkes' murder" and has been adjusted to include additional details. See original post below.

A police officer has been charged with the murder of PC Clarence Gilkes and another charged with shooting at an unarmed man with intent to cause harm.

Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, SC, gave investigators the green light on Friday night to charge PC Khristian Genty with murder and shooting with intent to harm Jehlano Romney and to charge WPC Crystal Williams-Bowman with shooting at Romney with intent to cause harm.

A third officer, Cpl Kerwin Dominique, who provided crucial evidence to investigator, was released without charge.

Genty and Williams-Bowman, who were last assigned to the Western Division Task Force, were charged at the St Joseph Police Station early Saturday morning. Williams-Bowman was released on $500,000 bail pending her court appearance on Monday. Genty is expected to appear before a Port of Spain magistrate virtually on Monday.

His lawyers Israel Khan, SC, Ulric Skerritt and Arissa Maharaj intend to make an application for him to be released on bail pending the outcome of the matter.

Gilkes, 44, of La Resource Road, D'Abadie, and a member of the Western Division Task Force, was among 12 officers who responded to a report of men armed with rifles at Richplain Road, Diego Martin on April 22.

Gilkes was with three other officers, including Genty and Williams-Bowman, when they confronted Romney on a flight of steps. Romney claimed he was unarmed and that Gilkes and two other officers opened fire without warning but he managed to dodge the bullets.

Gilkes was shot from behind to the neck and collapsed while Romney ran off. The injured officer was taken for treatment but subsequently died. Romney later gave a statement to the Police Complaints Authority and the Professional Standards Bureau.