Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter
Donald 'Zekes' Phipps, Matthew's Lane area 'don'. - FILE
AFTER 12-DAYS of intense questioning, Operation Kingfish has finally charged Matthew's Lane strongman, Donald 'Zekes' Phipps, with murder.
He has been charged with the April 15 double killing of Rodney Farquharson and Deighton Williams, whose burnt bodies were discovered in an open lot on Rose Lane, West Kingston.
"Yes, he has been charged and will be appearing before the court on Wednesday," Phipps' attorney Churchill Neita Q.C., confirmed yesterday.
An on the spot post mortem had revealed that the men were shot dead and their bodies set ablaze with the use of rubber tyres. Police believe that the men, who were from
Bayshore Park in Harbour View, St. Andrew, were killed execution style. They also theorise that their death was the result of a drug deal that went sour.
PICKED UP
Operation Kingfish which was formed last October, was implemented by the Government to target organised criminal gangs and reputed area leaders. Mr. Phipps, who has been hailed as the long-standing Matthew's Lane area leader, a People's National Party enclave in the heart of the Jamaica Labour Party-dominated West Kingston, was picked up by members of the Task Force on May 18. He was on his way from the Corporate Area criminal court.
Phipps, 47, was earlier charged with the unlawful possession of over $18 million which was found in a vault at his Havendale home in St. Andrew. He appeared in court last week on that charge, but was remanded in custody by Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey.
According to the police, Mr. Phipps was unable to give a satisfactory explanation of how he came to be in possession of the money. This is the second time in seven months that Mr. Phipps has been arrested in connection with millions of dollars found in his possession.
Last October, a joint police/military team raided a premises on Matthew's Lane that was occupied by Mr. Phipps. Items found then included $10 million in local and foreign currencies. Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, head of Operation Kingfish, Assistant Commissioner Glenmore Hinds, said the Task Force was looking at all the assets owned by Mr. Phipps.
He also said the Task Force has a number of crime bosses in its view although none has yet been picked up.
