Tension surges in Old Capital after alleged don’s demise
Published:Friday | January 24, 2025 | 12:07 AMRuddy Mathison and Rasbert Turner/Gleaner Writers
Spanish Town remained tense on Thursday after reputed One Order gang leader Othniel Lobban died on Wednesday night as a police chase and gun battle ended in a crash in the vicinity of the overpass in Six Miles, St Andrew.
Before daylight, incendiaries had set fire to a Courts Bargain Centre store along Young Street in Spanish Town, an act believed to be linked to Lobban’s death.
His demise sparked widespread disruptions across the St Catherine capital as early as daybreak, with several businesses, including banks, suspending operations on Thursday. Others operated for only half of the day, and many residents stayed indoors. Many of those who ventured out were later seen rushing to return home after news of Lobban’s death spread.
In the aftermath, the Old Capital took on an eerie calm, resembling a ghost town.
Speaking with The Gleaner early Thursday afternoon, Dennis Robotham, president of the St Catherine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said businesses had lost millions due to the flare-up of violence.
“There is a general fallout in business, and the members are depending on the security forces to address the situation urgently,” said Robotham.
“The loss of commerce in the business district is significant and will adversely affect operators.”
When contacted by The Gleaner again last night, he said he was expecting a gradual return to normalcy today.
“We are expecting the tense atmosphere to continue Friday, however, there will be a gradual reopening of most businesses. I would encourage them to resume their operation,” Robotham said.
Yesterday a woman, who identified herself as an out-of-town shopper, expressed her unease about the situation in Spanish Town as she searched desperately for transportation.
“I only hope mi can get a ride home because mi nuh like how di place look like something bad going to happen,” she remarked.
Her concerns were amplified by changes made by the Jamaica Urban Transit Company Limited (JUTC), which altered its routes to end at the Sagicor/LOJ Plaza instead of the Spanish Town layby. The JUTC cited safety concerns for staff, passengers, and assets as the reason for the precaution.
Another resident, surveying the empty Burke Road, commented: “This a ghost town. Let mi hurry up and go a mi yard.”
Tales of the violence in Spanish Town have spread far and wide, with United States outlets, including ABC News, and United Kingdom platform The Guardian reporting on gunshots echoing through the streets.
‘under control’
“Last night we had a few incidents where roads were blocked. There was an attempt to burn a few premises, but we were quick on location to put some control in the area,” said Christopher Phillips, the acting assistant commissioner of police in charge of Area Five. “We have things under control. We are not going to allow the kind of disorder that we have seen [to take over] in Spanish Town.”
Speaking with The Gleaner last night, Superintendent Hopton Nicholson, commander of the St Catherine North Police Division, sought to assure business owners that the situation was under control and that it should be business as usual on Friday.
Nicholson said the security forces would maintain a strong presence in the market district and other areas of the town to ensure that there are no further flare-ups.
A curfew in the Ellerslie Pen and Tawes Meadows communities – areas frequently visited by Lobban – is set to last until 6 p.m. on Friday as the authorities remain on high alert, citing an extreme threat level following the reputed gang leader’s death. The curfew had been imposed in Spanish Town on Wednesday following an earlier intense stand-off between residents and the security forces during an operation to capture wanted men.
The court system was not spared the disruption. The Court Administration Division (CAD) announced that all matters scheduled for the Spanish Town and Old Harbour courthouses on Thursday were postponed due to the state of emergency declared in the St Catherine South Police Division. Matters previously before the Circuit Court have been rescheduled to January 27, and for Old Harbour, matters have been rescheduled to January 30.
The Ministry of Education also confirmed that schools in the area were closed, with virtual learning implemented for Spanish Town High School’s afternoon shift on Thursday and all shifts on Friday. A school source revealed that the morning shift was cut short, and the police were called in to ensure students’ safe return home.
Lobban, also known as ‘Thick Man’, was reportedly killed during a confrontation with police along Washington Boulevard after a blue vehicle he was travelling in was involved in a three-vehicle crash at the Six Miles overpass before midnight on Wednesday.
The police described Lobban as one of the top five most wanted individuals by the Joint Anti-Gang Task Force, noting his role for orchestrating violent activities and organised crime across St Catherine, Kingston, and other parishes.
However, some residents have lamented his killing, describing him as community leader who looked out for their welfare.