Rasbert Turner, Freelance Writer

spanish town

A 36-year-old man who should have appeared as a witness in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court today, was shot dead by gunmen in Old Harbour Bay, St. Catherine, yesterday.

Dead is Andy Richards, a businessman of Kelly Pen, Old Harbour Bay.

Reports say about 2 p.m., Richards was sitting near a shed in his community when a white Caldina motor car drove up with several persons on board. Someone was said to have pointed a gun from the vehicle and shot him several times over the body. He died on the spot.

Near miss

According to Marjorie, a relative, it is not the first that Richard had been the victim of gunmen, as last year he had a near miss after men fired shots at him close to his house in Kelly Pen.

"He refused to go into the witness protection programme and if he had gone on the programme he might have been around today, but he was a free spirited person and he is now dead, it is really sad," she said.

Richards was a witness in a incident on May 28 last year, when his nephew was shot dead by gunmen in Dumbeholden, St. Catherine, and was to attend court on that matter today.

The family said shortly after the killing the police arrived in the area but should have cordoned it off as they believe the killers may have still been hiding in the community.

The Old Harbour Bay police say they are continuing their investigation into the matter and are hoping to make a breakthrough soon.