The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

POLICE have no information to suggest that a member or members of the Chinese community were involved in the country’s 88th homicide for the year, The Tribune was told yesterday.

Speaking on the progress of the investigation into the murder of 20-year-old Cleophas Clarke, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Bernard Bonamy Jr said that the details so far indicate “a domestic dispute with a Bahamian.”

“We have no information concerning that which would suggest Chinese being involved in his murder,” he said following tabloid website reports to the contrary. “We think that it was just a domestic dispute someone he knew, a Bahamian.”

ASP Bonamy Jr said that police have questioned a number of persons from Montell Heights and Yamacraw as the investigation continues.

In 2012 Clarke was charged with killing a Chinese restaurant worker, Wing Hong Chan, 45, on January 22, 2012. He was also accused of robbing Mr Chan of a Samsung Galaxy phone worth $750.

His murder trial took place in March of this year and although he was found not guilty of armed robbery by a jury count of 8 to 4, there was a hung jury on the murder charge by a count of 7 to 5 meaning that he failed to meet the legal standards for a not guilty verdict.

He was granted bail while awaiting retrial in February, 2014.

Police found Clarke with gunshot wounds in his head in front of his Carter’s Close home off Yamacraw Beach Estates last Monday night.