Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter

A prominent 58-year-old businessman of Summerfield, Clarendon, has been jailed for the gun slaying of his 49-year-old wife, Marcia Morgan, who was murdered on Tuesday night at the couple's home in the district.

"The businessman's licensed 9mm Taurus semi-automatic pistol has also been seized," said Constable Odale Mulgrave, the Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) liaison officer.

In what appears to be a domestic dispute, involving jealousy, it is alleged that the couple got into a heated argument, which resulted in Mrs. Morgan being shot several times. She was later pronounced dead on arrival at the Chapelton Hospital in Clarendon.

Mass demonstration

The death of the woman prompted a mass demonstration as several hundred residents marched to the Summerfield Square where they looted the business place of the accused, then set three of his trucks on fire. The windows of the accused man's home were also destroyed.

Reports are that windscreens of two fire trucks were smashed by the mob, including one of the new units recently acquired by Government. They were on the way to the scene to put out the blaze.

Harry Douglas, Minister of State in the Ministry of Local Government and Environment, said in a release that three of the firemen were injured. While condemning the incident, he called on the Member of Parliament for the area, Pearnel Charles, to use his contact within the constituency to help the police apprehend the perpetrators.

The lawmen had to call for reinforcements from other stations across the parish to dispel the crowd. This was the second mass protest within the parish in under a week.