Persons Urged to Tell What They Know About Murder of Trelawny Teen
By: , August 9, 2023
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (third right), speaks with Social Worker and Guidance Education Officer for the Ministry of Education’s Region 3, Harlene Gordon (second right); during a visit to Cotton Tree District in Albert Town on Tuesday (August 8), where 15-year-old Jamila Cole was killed. Listening (from left) are Territorial Education Officer for the Ministry’s Region 3, Merlianna Shirley; Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for Southern Trelawny, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert; Community Relations Education Officer for Region 3, Delroy Williams and Mayor of Falmouth, Collen Gager.
Photo: Okoye Henry
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams (second left), speaks with Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for Southern Trelawny, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert (left), during a visit to Cotton Tree District in Albert Town on Tuesday (August 8), where 15-year-old Jamila Cole was killed. Looking on are Community Relations Education Officer in the Ministry of Education and Youth Region 3, Delroy Williams (second right) and Mayor of Falmouth, Collen Gager.The Full Story
Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, has condemned the killing of 15-year-old Jamila Cole, and is urging persons to come forward with information that could assist the police in apprehending those responsible.
The teen was killed during a home invasion in Cotton Tree District in Albert Town, Trelawny, on Monday (August 7).
The Minister led a team from the Ministry on a visit to the community on Tuesday (August 8) where she sought to console the family of the teen, who was a grade-10 student at Troy High School in the parish.
Jamilia’s mother and cousin were also severely beaten during the incident and remain hospitalised.
“[I am] encouraging people to tell what they know. I am telling them that if they don’t say it, the crime will probably not be solved. The responsibility of all of us across Jamaica is really to be our brother’s keeper and not to be so afraid that we don’t come forward with what we know,” the Minister said.
She noted that Jamilia was an intelligent student who displayed dedication and commitment to her studies, and with her untimely death “Jamaica has been deprived of the potential of one of its promising youth”.
She is urging “persons in this community, persons who live close by, persons who may live elsewhere but have some information, to just step forward and give the police whatever information you have. We need this crime solved. We need somebody to be held accountable”.
“You have a 15-year-old that’s dead. You have a mother in the hospital [and] I understand she doesn’t even know why she’s there, and you have another family member that is hurt. Of course, think of how this has split apart a family, a community. So, we call on anyone with any information that you have – be brave, step forward,” she pleaded.
Counsellors, safety and security personnel and other members of the Ministry of Education and Youth Region 3 are providing grief counselling and support for the family as well as community members.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, who is also the Member of Parliament for South Trelawny, was on site providing support to the family.
The Trelawny police continues to gather evidence and interview individuals and is also imploring persons to come forward and tell what they know.