By Carlena Knight
Two officers from the UK-based Scotland Yard are expected to travel to Antigua to assist with the ongoing Nigel Christian investigation.
Police Commissioner Atlee Rodney broke the news during Friday morning’s Police Press Briefing.
“We had several meetings as recent as last week and even this week we made some contact where they are still planning to assist us. The plan that they have now is to at least send two senior investigators to assist our local investigators. So, we are looking forward for the investigators from the UK to join with the local team then we can move forward with that investigation and not only that investigation but the other two as well,” Rodney said.
However, he did not disclose the date when the officers will be arriving in Antigua and Barbuda.
In early July, the country was shocked by the news of the alleged kidnapping and murder of customs officer Nigel Christian.
Since that time, the government has reached out to both the US’ Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Scotland Yard to assist in the investigation.
The FBI has come onboard and is presently assisting with the investigation while Scotland Yard had made stipulations regarding the death penalty, which is still on the books in Antigua and Barbuda.
Last month, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Anthony Armstrong reassured the UK-based law enforcement agency that Antigua and Barbuda will not pursue the death penalty if anyone is found guilty of Christian’s murder as a result of their investigation.
Although Rodney revealed that to date, no arrests have been made regarding the murder of the customs officer, he did mention that the FBI has been conducting analysis on some pieces of evidence that local investigators have sent to them.
“I was in conversation with staff members of the FBI as recently as yesterday and they are processing and analysing those items that we sent to them. So, hopefully I should be getting some results as to what they would have garnered from the items that they have,” he explained.
Rodney is continuing to encourage the public, moreso those persons with pertinent information about the case, to come forward.
“We would need that information because it is an attack on one of us and we are very much passionate about coming to some closure with this matter. We continue to support the matter to continue to speak to them and by extension the general public that it is one of those cases that all of us have an obligation to play our part. I would appeal to the general public that if there are persons who have information to step forward and be a true patriot and give that information. There is still a $50,000 reward which can be offered who give us information which leads to an arrest,” he added.
Of the seven murders committed for the year to date, two other shooting deaths — Dave Anthony of Potters and Troy Baptiste of Bendals – have not been solved.