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The house where Jamaica's most wanted Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett lived in Rock River, Clarendon. - NORMAN GRINDLEY
HE WAS AMONG them but they never had a clue. Before Sunday neither the police nor the residents of Rock River, Clarendon, had been aware that one of Jamaica's most wanted, Donovan 'Bulbie' Bennett, had been living among them.
They only found out when sounds of gunfire pierced the quiet Sunday morning when Bennett, the leader of Clansman gang, who was wanted in connection with between 80 and 100 murders, was shot dead by police during a reported shoot-out.
His death sparked several days of unrest in Spanish Town, St. Catherine, as residents blocked roads protesting against Bulbie's death. But, while Spanish Town was overwhelmed by protests, Rock River remained quiet. They were quiet because they did not know the notorious 'don'.
"We not even did know wha him look like. All we know seh is dat a house a buil' up over weh him live. We nuh know a who own it or nutten we jus know seh it buil fast," one resident told THE STAR.
Another resident said that the sprawling seven-bedroom house overlooking the Rio Minho had been there for roughly three years and when it was being built the men were always paid on time.
"We see it because a weh it deh but nobody nuh see nobody a go over deh or nutten. So we frighten when we hear seh a wanted man did over deh."
In the case of Bulbie's driver, identified as Nathan, the residents said while they never knew him either, they saw him a few times and he was never involved in any crime. They said the only person known to them who was associated with the house was the contractor who came into the district frequently.
MOST WANTED
"We see dem because dem use to come in a di district. We don't even know seh di other bredda (Nathan) did wanted too because him all rub (hit) a car an' come out an' talk to di bredda normal. So we surprise when we hear seh him wanted...," said a male resident.
Like the residents of the community, the Rock River police were also unaware that Bulbie lived in the area. They said apart from praedial larceny and car theft, there were no other crimes in the community so they did not expect that the most wanted man was among them.
But although the community members were unaware of Bulbie's presence there, since Sunday's shooting there has been a rumour in Rock River that the Clansman gang intends to kill 10 persons from the community because residents failed to demonstrate against the police after the incident.
The Clarendon police could not confirm the rumour. "We haven't heard the rumour but we are in the area and we have been there every day since the incident took place," said Deputy Superintendent Cleon Marsh, crime officer for the parish.
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