By Glenroy Sinclair,
Staff Reporter
ONE OF two specialist divers who search for drugs under the hulls of ships and who were killed last month, was probably slain because he turned down bribes for several million dollars, police sources tell The Gleaner.
According to reports, several attempts had been made to bribe Carl Lubsey but that he'd refused the offers.
Both Lubsey and Donovan Henry, who were among a limited number of professional divers employed by shipping agencies to search for drugs, were killed within two weeks of each other last month.
Questions about their deaths were again raised by Opposition Leader Edward Seaga during his presentation at the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) annual general conference at the National Arena on Sunday. He said these deaths were but among a number of serious issues affecting the country which need to be addressed urgently.
Henry's body was discovered on the Farm main road, Montego Bay, St. James, on October 14, two days after he was reported missing from his home.
The police had also reported that at about 8:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 31, Mr. Lubsey was on his way to Rocky Point to check the ship Orlent River II, which had been docked at the Rocky Point Port, Clarendon, to collect alumina.
Police reports at the time said Lubsey was driving his Nissan pick-up on the Rocky Point Pier Road when a grey car drove up behind him. Occupants in the car opened fire hitting him and he lost control of his vehicle which crashed. The gunmen came out of the car and opened fire again, hitting him all over his body. He died on the spot.
Senior Superintendent Carl Williams, the island's narcotics' chief, said the police believed the divers were killed because of their occupation and hinted that there could be a breakthrough in another week.
The Constabulary Communication Network (CCN) told The Gleaner that while both cases were being investigated, the lawmen are yet to effect an arrest. Contacted yesterday, Superintendent Calvin Benjamin, who is in charge of the Homicide Department, said they had scheduled several interviews relating to Lubsey's case.
