Police Appeals for Information in Woolmer’s Death

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of crime, Mark Shields, is appealing to persons to come forward with any information that might lead to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Robert Woolmer, Coach of the Pakistan Cricket team. Mr. Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston on Sunday, March 18 and was pronounced dead at hospital after efforts to resuscitate him failed.
Speaking at a press conference held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Thursday, March 22, Mr. Shields revealed that the matter of “Mr. Woolmer’s death is now being treated by the Jamaican Police as a case of murder.”
He urged anyone with information that could provide a break-through in the case, to contact the police at 1-876-927-5000, which will be manned consistently, or call Crime Stop at 311.
“We need to speak to people who had any contact with Bob (Woolmer) on that particular evening. Someone may have been in the lift with him, seen somebody else in the elevator with him, or they may have seen him walking along the corridor with someone. Somebody has information in relation to what he did, so I’m appealing to anyone who saw him once he returned to the hotel, to come forward and give us the information,” he appealed.
The Deputy Commissioner disclosed that the police was in possession of the official post mortem report from the Government pathologist, which stated that Mr. Woolmer’s death “was due to asphyxia, as a result of manual strangulation.”
He said that the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) was working diligently to find any evidence that may lead to the person or persons responsible for the killing. In this regard, he said that the police have seized all material at the hotel that could be used as evidence in the case. “We have seized all of the hotel’s records in relation to closed circuit television, and other records such as electronic records, that can assist with the investigation,” he said.
In addition, he informed that as an international case, the JCF would be working closely with the Pakistani law enforcement officers, and would if necessary, accept other international assistance from the British based officers from Scotland Yard, as Mr. Woolmer was a United Kingdom national.
Responding to questions as to whether members of the Pakistani team would be retained in Jamaica pending the investigation, Mr. Shields said that unless there were new developments, the team would be allowed to leave this Saturday, March 24.
“Unless we have any evidence, it would be appropriate to release them, and it would be totally inappropriate to take a statement of caution when they are not suspects,” he explained, adding that no motive has yet been established.
He noted that that it was not yet confirmed that Mr. Woolmer’s body would leave with the team, as this would be the decision of the pathologist.
With respect to the level of security around teams, officials, media and sponsors, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Owen Ellington, who is the Chairman of the Local Security Committee, said the Force continued to maintain appropriate levels of security. In fact, “since the death of Mr. Woolmer, we have increased uniformed security presence at the hotel,” he said.
In the meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of the ICC Cricket World Cup, Malcolm Speed, who also addressed the media, has confirmed that even though the cricket body was in mourning and shock, the tournament would continue as planned, in light of speculations that it would be cancelled as a result of Mr. Woolmer’s death.
“The matches will continue. We’ve had a huge shock.we’ll continue to support the Jamaican police in any way possible. It’s a challenge for the game to face up to this; to be resolute, to be strong and to finish the World Cup in good spirits…we will finish Cricket World Cup as strongly as we can,” he said.