Daraine Luton, Staff Reporter

Police converge on the scene where Assistant Commissioner of Police Gilbert Kameka was murdered in Irish Town, St. Andrew, yesterday. - Norman Grindley/Deputy Chief Photographer

THE SCENIC and peaceful hills of Irish Town, St. Andrew, were yesterday blemished by the shooting death of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Gilbert Kameka.

Kameka, the ACP in charge of Area Four, is the 18th policeman to be murdered since the start of the year and the second in a day, which Opposition Spokesman on National Security, Dr. Peter Phillips, described as a "dark day in the country's history".

At least 12 persons were murdered between Wednesday and yesterday, two of them policemen.

In Montego Bay, St. James, gunmen went on a shooting spree, killing five persons and wounding a sixth during separate incidents that occurred between Wednesday night and yesterday morning. Two persons were also murdered in August Town, St. Andrew.

In Kingston, members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) had hardly digested news that another policeman, Constable Valentino Chambers, was killed by gunmen on Slipe Pen Road in Kingston when news of ACP Kameka's death came. His murder took place approximately 50 metres from the Irish Town Police Station.

The Gleaner news team was at Mobile Reserve observing election-day activities when ACP Kameka's colleagues were informed of the shooting.

Phones lit up

Kameka

Within seconds of the first phone call, the phones at Mobile Reserve lit up as calls came from everywhere, but no one seemed able to confirm the ACP's death.

However, it was in the hills of Irish Town that reality hit home to rank-and-file members of the JCF. Service vehicles carrying police converged on the crime scene, many in disbelief. A few of them spoke and the words that came were powerful. They were adamant that they would find and bring the killers to justice.

Earlier in the morning, Constable Chambers was attacked and killed. According to the police, about 1:30 a.m., Constable Chambers was driving his Toyota Camry motor car along Browery Road. On nearing Slipe Pen Road, he was fired on by a group of men armed with high-powered weapons. The injured policeman returned the fire, but subsequently lost control of the vehicle, which ran off the road and crashed into a wall. The police were summoned and, following an examination by investigators, it was revealed that Constable Chambers had received several gunshot wounds. Constable Chambers' firearm was also stolen.

In the case of ACP Kameka, investigators are piecing together information to lead them to the killers. Up to press time last night they had not yet ascertained whether the ACP's firearm was stolen.

In the company of women

Persons who saw when ACP Kameka arrived in Irish Town said he was in the company of a few women.

One resident told The Gleaner that the ACP was followed on to a pathway by one of three men who were travelling in a Toyota Corolla station wagon. One of the men is said to have walked in the direction of the house where the ACP had gone. They have not been seen since.

Mr. Kameka's silver Toyota Rav 4 motor car, parked on the side of the road in Irish Town, and the battery of senior police officers on the scene spoke volumes about what had happened.

The most senior policeman to be murdered in Jamaica, ACP Kameka is the fifth of eight children - six boys and two girls - for parents, Noel and Iris Kameka.

"This is like a dream. Mi numb like I don't have any feelings," said his mother, who was informed of the tragedy by a neighbour on hearing a radio bulletin.

"One thing I know is that if any of his family got in trouble with the law, he wasn't one to interfere. Wrong is wrong for him.

"I am very depressed, don't even know how to explain it," said his brother Owen, as the tears ran down his cheeks.

ACP Kameka leaves behind four children - the youngest four years old - and wife, Dianne.

Mark Shields, Deputy Commis-sioner of Police (DCP) in charge of crime, has appealed for help in solving both police murders.

"We are asking anyone who has any information to come forward," DCP Shields said.

Similarly, Derrick Smith, Minister of National Security, has condemned the killing and has asked Jamaicans to believe in the JCF.

Neil Kameka, younger brother of Assistant Commissioner of Police Gilbert Kameka, comforts his mother, Iris, who was visibly shaken by news of her son's murder in Irish Town, St. Andrew. - photo by Nagra Plunkett

daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com