Alleged top gangster arrested for killing MoBay wrecker driver
Published:Saturday | June 19, 2021 | 12:05 AMAdrian Frater/News Editor
WESTERN BUREAU:
A man the police have labelled as a top-tier enforcer in the criminal underworld in Glendevon, St James, was arrested and charged on Thursday for the murder of popular wrecker driver, Vernon ‘Punch’ Boswell, who was chased and murdered gangland-style inside a garage operated by his family.
The man in custody is 21-year-old Dwayne ‘Twelle’ Minto, who was fingered by eyewitnesses as one of three men who figured in the brutal mid-morning attack on Boswell, which left Sun Valley Road, where he lived, in mourning for several days.
“Following the killing, we followed some strong leads, which led us to Minto,” said Superintendent Vernon Ellis, the commanding officer for the St James police. “After he was arrested, we questioned him in the presence of his attorney. Subsequent to the questioning, he was pointed out in an identification parade.
“Based on other information we have picked up, including Minto’s gang affiliation, we have reasons to believe we might be able to link him to other serious crimes committed across the parish,” added Ellis.
According to reports, on the day of the shooting, Boswell was standing outside the family business place speaking to his mother when a car pulled up and three men alighted with guns in their hands. They began chasing Boswell through the garage, firing multiple shots at him. After running for some 70 metres, Boswell fell and one of the men reportedly stood over him and fired shots into his head and upper body.
HIGH LEVEL OF NONCHALANCE
While chasing and firing at Boswell, a mechanic, who was working on a car in the garage, had his knee cap shattered by a bullet. Luckily, he was able to drag himself out of the line of fire as the gangsters continued to fire shots at Boswell. After Boswell was killed, the men casually walked out of the garage and got into a waiting motor car, which sped away.
Gangsters have been displaying a high degree of nonchalance in several St James communities, resulting in over 70 murders committed since the start of the year, but Ellis said he will not be ceding any ground to criminals as once they are identified, they will be tracked down and brought to justice.
“I collect a salary from the Government every month to protect the law-abiding citizens of St James, and that is my mission,” said Ellis. “We are seizing record numbers of illegal firearms and arresting numerous violence producers, but the job is far from over. We will continue to plug away every day because no criminal must feel safe in this parish.”
Since the dismantling of the Sparta gang which was linked to incarcerated dancehall star Tommy Lee Sparta; and the significant degrading of the G City gang, several top gangsters have been fleeing the parish.
“We have seen gangsters who have fled the pressure in St James popping up in other parishes such as Clarendon, Kingston and Hanover, but we want them to know that wherever they go, we will be coming to get them,” said Ellis.