Devon Dick | Man in the video mirrors society

The man in the video battering a female, brazenly, mirrors society. Society should be protecting the persons who are weak, but instead, directs vicious violence against the vulnerable. Furthermore, instead of resources being garnered to charge and convict the man in the video, the case is closed, callously, after two weeks.

The man in the video is widely believed to be George Wright, member of parliament and faithful Anglican churchman. This is based on the chain of events and circumstantial evidence. The police named Wright as a person of interest after a statement by 36-year-old Taneisha Singh and having taken her for medical treatment.

If the battered woman, the videographer and the other eyewitness are all afraid to testify about a human being, made in the image of God, being subjected to such wickedness, then the ‘informa fe dead’ culture wins. If three witnesses cannot defend the reputation of a legislator and lawmaker against barbaric battering of a woman, then the Parliament is a place for ‘gangsters’. Have we reached a stage where a legislator could publicly abuse his position of authority and trust with no serious consequence?

Jamaica is the murder capital of the region, and the major problem hindering convictions is not that the perpetrators are unknown, but that the witnesses are afraid to testify because of the ‘informa fe dead’ culture. In April, three members of the Coke Family and four others on murder and gang-related charges were released mainly because the prosecution had difficulties locating two main witnesses. Obviously, the witnesses are afraid to testify. So it is unbelievable that the possibility exists that a member of parliament and churchman might be contributing to this culture where a victim and witnesses are afraid to testify.

This is not an interest in Wright/Singh ‘bangarang’. This is not about what happens between them behind closed doors, or why they attend church faithfully.

PUBLIC MATTER

The video has to do with vile, vicious, violent bruising of a female in the open space, in public and recorded by video and viewed by witnesses. Therefore, it is a public matter concerning the undermining of law and order; the encouragement of ‘informa fe dead culture’ reinforcing Jamaica’s status as one of the most dangerous places for women to live, work, raise families and do business; an impotent church and civil society and a decadent political class.

Former acting public defender, Matondo Mukulu, said that the police shutdown of the Wright probe was a ‘dereliction of constitutional duty’ ( The Gleaner April 27). A representative of the Bar Association stated that the police force does not need the cooperation of the victim to proceed. Can the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) ascertain who owns the two vehicles in the video? Are there phone records, voice notes, fingerprints and blood on stool? Vybz Kartel, dancehall artiste, was convicted for the murder of someone whose body was not found. The police should use circumstantial evidence. If the leadership of the JCF cannot solve what was witnessed and recorded in a video, how will they solve more complex crimes when there is no video evidence?

The man in the video mirrors society, which facilitates ‘informa fe dead’ culture, decadent political class, comprising church, selfish monied class, rudderless police force, impotent civil society, violent and failing society which is ineffective to deal decisively with violence producers.

Those responsible for closing the case should either reopen the case or resign, allowing other police who are courageous and competent to manage the investigations. The police cannot rest until the man in the video is charged so that the country can mirror a gentler, kinder and caring society.

Rev D. Devon Dick is pastor of Boulevard Baptist Church and author of Enduring Advocacy for a Better Jamaica, The Cross and the Machete and Rebellion to Riot: The Jamaican Church in Nation Building. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com.