Copyright trinidadexpress
The family of nine-year-old murder victim Jomol Modeste is appealing to the Kamla Persad-Bissessar-led government for justice. They say for three years their appeals have fallen on deaf ears. They now hope that the new government can provide them with closure. Three years ago, Jomol was innocently killed by gunmen, who opened fire on a crowd of people at African Grounds, Eagle Avenue, Enterprise on October 15, 2022. Jomol, a Standard Three student of the Carapichaima RC School, was watching a football match at the recreation ground, and was hit in the back by a bullet. He died at the Chaguanas Health Centre. Speaking to the Express on Thursday, Jomol’s grandmother, Roseanne Ramdial Hamilton, said the family observed his third death anniversary on October 15. Three years on, she said the family continues to struggle daily with the loss. “We just want to stop living in survival mode. We need an answer so that we can carry on living. Since MJ (Jomol) died, it has been real hard for the family,” she said. Describing the efforts of the former administration as "disappointing", she said she has hope that the change in government can bring a different outcome. “We just want closure. We are asking the new government to continue the investigation, to bring an end to this for us,” she added. Overcome with emotion, Hamilton lamented that while then-acting Commissioner of Police Erla Christopher said that no stone would be left unturned in bringing justice to her grandchild, the police service had done little to do so. “Nothing happened. It is heartbreaking. The last thing we hear about the case is that they (police) have no new information. That was last year,” she explained. She appealed to top cop Allister Guevarro to intervene. “Push forward with the case. Visit our family and talk to us and find out how we’ve been living. The whole situation is depressing. Me, his mother, we don't enjoy life again. Every holiday pass, we crying," she continued. “It keeps me going knowing that I can keep his memorial every year on October 15. I live for that now to remember him. For the country to not forget my grandchild. That his death doesn't go in vain,” she said.
