Two schoolboys hospitalised over alleged involvement in taxi driver’s murder

 Two teenage boys, ages 15 and 17, remain hospitalized following a severe beating by residents in Lawrence Tavern, St. Andrew, after they were accused of involvement in the murder of a 49-year-old taxi driver on Saturday night. The youths were later handed over to the police.

According to the Constant Spring police, the victim, identified as Verne Josephs from Manning’s Hill Road, was fatally shot while driving his Toyota Probox after reportedly being contracted by three individuals posing as passengers. Around 7:15 p.m., as they traveled along the Essex Hall main road, Josephs was ambushed and shot multiple times.

The sound of gunfire alerted residents of nearby Rose Hill, who discovered the wounded driver leaning over in the vehicle. Two teenage suspects from the district were quickly apprehended by residents who gathered at the scene. A third suspect, believed to be an accomplice, allegedly brandished a firearm before fleeing.

Videos circulating on social media show the teenagers appearing distressed and injured on the roadside, surrounded by a crowd. Other images show them bloodied and tied up in the back of a police vehicle. “Di youth dem nah hold no meds. A because dem so likkle bit why dem nuh dead,” commented one resident. “Di people dem deal with them bad, but you can’t sorry for children because a dem a do the crime dem too.”

Deputy Superintendent Randy Sweeney, head of the St Andrew North Police Division, confirmed that the teenagers remained in custody as of Monday, with police continuing their search for additional suspects. Given the minors’ age, the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) has been informed.

Data from the Jamaica Constabulary Force highlights a growing concern over juvenile crime, with 875 major crimes reportedly committed by individuals aged 15 to 17 between 2019 and 2022, including 79 murders, 256 firearm-related offenses, 175 rapes, and 89 robberies. 

Former Police Commissioner Major General Antony Anderson has stressed the importance of community engagement in curbing youth violence, emphasizing that preventing violent behaviors in young people requires a collaborative community approach.

Despite national efforts, the St Andrew North Police Division has recorded a 17 percent increase in murders this year, totaling 55 homicides as of October 26 – an increase from 47 at the same point in 2023. Reports of shootings have also risen, with 58 incidents so far this year, compared to 52 last year. However, Jamaica’s national murder rate has decreased by 19 percent year-on-year, with 940 homicides reported by October 26.