Police quiz two over priest killing

POLICE INVESTIGATORS are probing reports that several threats were made against the life of Roman Catholic priest Fr. Martin Royackers before he was gunned down last Thursday at the St. Theresa Cathedral in Annotto Bay, St. Mary.

Meanwhile, the two men picked up over the weekend were still being interrogated up to late yesterday evening.

Allegations are that prior to his death, persons were using land belonging to the church to cultivate ganja. The priest strongly objected against this and was allegedly threatened.

There are also allegations that persons wanted to use the church land at their own convenience without the permission of the priest. He also objected to this and was again threatened.

"We are following a number of leads related to these reports," said Deputy Superintendent Kelso Small, the crime officer for the parish.

The Roman Catholic priest, who is from Canada, had been living in Jamaica for the past seven years. Police said his body, clad in a white T-shirt, blue trousers and brown shoes, was discovered by a church member last Thursday morning.

Residents heard explosions on the night of Wednesday, June 20, but thought it was somebody throwing stones at a container. The police said the house showed no signs of being forcibly entered and that the priest did not appear to have been robbed.

He is the second Roman Catholic priest to be killed over the past eight months. In October last year, the bullet-riddled body of Father Howard Rochester was found on the main road in Hartlands, St. Catherine. Two men are now before the court for his murder.

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