By Sharda Bacchus
shardabacchus@newsroom.gy
It has been six agonizing months for a mother since the charred remains of her son, 22-year-old Hakeem John, were discovered. John tragically lost his life while scaling a fence during a fruit-picking raid and now his mother, Sharon Jones, is on a relentless search for justice.
In a tearful interview with the News Room on Tuesday, Jones laid bare her frustration with the police’s handling of the case. She claimed that every attempt to get an update has been met with delays and evasiveness.
Adding to her distress, she was offered $6 million by the relatives of the suspect—a 59-year-old farmer—in an attempt to settle the matter.
Jones said she has rejected the offer.
“They murder my son and when they done they leave me in pain. My son is no more. I cannot see my son, I cannot hear from my son. I cannot get my son to do nothing for me,” she said with tears welling in her eyes.
“The family come and offer me $6 million dollars to done the story. I said I don’t want no money. No amount of money can’t bring back my son life. I said money can’t buy life.”
The discovery of John’s remains was made on February 26 among a pile of burnt debris in an empty lot next to the farmer’s property on Cone Shop Street, La Grange, West Bank Demerara. The remains, including what appeared to be a skull and various pieces of burnt clothing, were uncovered in a fire heap.
Investigators believe that after John was electrocuted by the farmer’s fence, his body was subsequently burned and buried. The farmer was initially arrested but was later released on a $1 million bail without facing charges.
Jones has been told that delays in the case are due to pending DNA test results, a claim she finds hard to believe.
“I am not even convinced that the DNA samples were sent for testing,” Jones said, expressing her growing suspicion of a possible cover-up.
Her frustration is compounded by what she perceives as a lack of progress.
“The man that killed my son, he is on the road, scotch free and I am in pain. Is every day I thinking about my son. Like I get fed up…If I ain’t go, my daughter does go or call them (Police). I ain’t getting no positive answer. Is either it ain’t come yet. You got to wait until a next month and when you go is same thing.”
The case came to light when a 16-year-old friend of John reported the incident at the La Grange Police Station. According to the teenager, he and John were caught by the farmer while picking fruit. During the chase, John attempted to scale the fence, was electrocuted, and later the farmer wrapped his body in a bed sheet and dragged it further into the farm before disappearing.
John’s mother, Sharon, is adamant that she will not rest until justice is served.
“I feel so horrible. Terrible. I feel bad about it. The remains of my son, if they don’t want to give me justice for my son, let them give me the remains of my son. God is going to fight my battle for me. I don’t want man fight it…And God is going to judge them bitter,” she declared.
Determined and undeterred, Jones vowed to continue her fight for justice. “I want justice for my son. I want to see that man go down and face the penalty for what he has done for my son,” she said resolutely.
what you son was doing there?
Once a crime has been committed and the suspect is known by the authorities, ‘ BRIBERY’ to drop the matter
is yet another offence.
GPF would rather have cases settled because it’s less work for them.
Whose “nose” is smelling something fishy ?