By Roy Sanford, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
ALTHOUGH HE has been cleared by DNA results and released from custody the man, who the Montego Bay police had labelled the western city's much-feared serial rapist will be monitored by the police. This was confirmed by Crime Chief for the parish of St. James Deputy Superintendent Derrick Knight, when asked whether the man was still being considered a suspect.
However, because of what they termed "the inconclusive nature" of the investigation, DSP Knight said the police would be broadening its investigation with a view of arresting a suspect who the police said have raped at least 15 young girls in the parish.
The lawmen have been in pursuit of the rapist since the start of the year and the man they had in custody was arrested on July 1. When he was arrested the police confidently stated they had their right man since incriminating evidence was found in his home.
But the investigations ran into problems when parents of the victims refused to allow their traumatised children to attend the identification parade and the police believed that he was of unsound mind. To help build their case the police took blood samples from the suspect in order to connect him to the crimes through DNA.
Now police said they had no choice but to release him after initial DNA results failed to identify him as the culprit.
"We got a call from the lab and the initial results show that the suspect was not the person we are looking for," said DSP Knight. "We can no longer justify keeping him in custody so we have released him. However, we are still awaiting final results."
He said the police are now broadening their investigation. "There are two men we are looking at right now," he stated. "One is in custody and one is on the street and we are working on that."
The serial rapist has reportedly been operating near schools in Albion, Glendevon, Salt Spring and Montego Bay. He allegedly got the attention of young girls, between 6 and 11, by telling them he had something for the principal of their school. He then dragged them into nearby bushes where he sexually assaulted them.
