Opposition condemns brutal murder and assault in Trelawny

The Opposition People's National Party says it vehemently condemns the heinous and barbaric act that took place in Cotton Tree, Albert Town, Trelawny.

The incident, which led to the tragic death of 15-year-old Jamila Cole, a student at Troy High School, marks an unfathomable act of violence that has deeply shaken the community and the country, it argued.

READ: 15-y-o girl dies; mother, cousin hospitalised after Trelawny assault

With a heavy heart, Shadow Minister on Gender Denise Daley expressed her sincere condolences to the bereaved family and friends of young Jamila.

“The heart-wrenching details of the home invasion, where young Ms Cole, her mother, and her 17-year-old cousin were brutally attacked, demonstrates a level of cruelty that is both incomprehensible and abhorrent. Such acts of violence, particularly against our young women, have no place in our society, and we must stand united against them”, she empathised.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims, and we offer our deepest condolences to them during this incredibly painful time. We urge the authorities to spare no effort in swiftly bringing those responsible for this monstrous act to justice,” Daley continued in a statement. 

Opposition Spokesperson on National Security Peter Bunting also expressed his profound sorrow and condemnation of the heinous act.

“The JCF's published statistics show a clear upward trend in the number of murders occurring each month since the start of this year, culminating with 134 murders for the month of July.  As Shadow Minister of National Security, I call upon members of the JCF to work tirelessly to solve the murder of Jamila and to stem the rising tide of murders experienced over the last few months.”

He further called for the Commissioner of Police and the Minister of National Security to work to resolve the impasse affecting the police federation leadership and, by extension, the morale and cohesiveness of the entire rank and file. 

“While we know that correlation doesn't necessarily mean causation, it is not far-fetched to consider that the non-payment of overtime and the unwarranted interdiction of the democratically elected federation chairman is demotivating the rank and file membership,” stated Bunting.

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