Contract killings a growing concern in Manchester, says head of police division

The Manchester police are investigating more than three cases linked to suspected contract killings since the start of the year, with the parish's commanding officer warning that the practice is becoming an increasingly serious concern.

Deputy Superintendent Odean Dennis said investigators had information suggesting that the man fatally shot during a police operation in Knockpatrick, Manchester, on Monday may have been contracted to kill someone.

He has since been identified as Ky-mani Benloss, of Georges Valley, Manchester.

According to the police, officers, acting on information about a threat to life, intercepted a black Toyota Voxy with dealer plates about 12:10 p.m.

The occupant reportedly opened fire at the police, who returned fire.

The man was taken to hospital, where he was pronounced dead, and a revolver and ammunition were reportedly recovered from the vehicle.

A police service vehicle was also damaged in the gunfire.

Dennis said contract killings were not confined to Manchester, but said there had been more than three such contract-related killings in the division.

"Contract killing is a serious problem right across Jamaica. Mandeville, Manchester is no different," he told The Gleaner.

"Usually it [targets] are persons who are in conflict with other persons, and the conflicts can range from simple things such as land disputes to gang-related conflicts," Dennis said.

“I want to take this opportunity to highlight that it is increasingly coming to our knowledge that this sort of contract killing is real in this parish. But I want to assure the public that Manchester police is prepared to deal decisively with this issue. We want to encourage the public to keep sharing information, as this is how we will continue to fit the pieces of the puzzle of organised crime together in this parish and in other parishes,” he told TVJ News.

He suggested that the prospect of quick money was drawing some men into criminal activity.

"These are just people who want to make a quick buck, and people who don't want to find legal ways to earn a living," he told The Gleaner.

“I want to implore upon young men: go and find yourselves a skill. Get yourselves gainfully and legally employed, because engaging in these types of illegal activities for monetary gains can lead to incidents such as these, and we really don't want that for our young men,” Dennis told TVJ News.

Police believe the deceased man was also a person of interest in the February 1 double murder of Raheem Ward, otherwise called Richie Rich, and Adrian Reid in Old England, Manchester.

Up to late Tuesday morning, it was among two police fatal shooting cases on Monday – the other was of a man called ‘Punki’ in Burnt Savannah, St Elizabeth – that teams from the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) were investigating.

The independent investigative body could not provide a comment on the shootings in time for publication, however.

Dennis commended the officers involved in Monday's operation, saying they did what was necessary to ensure their safety and that of others.

"The officers were fired upon by someone from a motor vehicle, and they defended themselves. So, kudos to the team for allowing their training to kick in, and doing what was necessary to ensure that they go home to their families."

Dennis urged members of the public to continue sharing information with the police, saying intelligence from communities was important in disrupting organised criminal activity.

- Corey Robinson

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