Miller
Noel Thompson, Freelance Writer
WESTERN BUREAU -
POLICE Commissioner Francis Forbes and his deputy Tilford Johnson flew into Montego Bay yesterday to map out a strategy with top sleuths of the parish, for the safe return of seven-year-old Jovayn Miller who was abducted by gunmen Friday. The child's abductors were demanding a $10 million ransom.
A subsequent sting operation resulted in one man shot dead, while three others are now in custody for questioning in connection with the abduction. The police have recovered two 9mm pistols along with 13 live rounds and seized two cars.
However, up to press time last evening, the police were in limbo as to the whereabouts of young Jovayn, a student at the Faith Kindergarten Preparatory school and a resident of Lilliput in St. James.
There was a tense atmosphere over the western city yesterday, as Jovayn's father, Selvin Miller, his mother, a teacher who requested that her name be withheld, relatives and friends waited for his safe return.
"Please release JR. He is my only child. I don't have $10 million nor $6 million. I don't have none. Please release him. He is a young child. He is innocent. It is not that we have money why they are holding the child. We don't have any money. Probably it is because we operate a restaurant why they believe we have money," she said.
She folded her arms, her eyes welled with tears. Her voice cracked. "My hope is that they would send him to me right now. He is hungry. I want them to remember that they too might have smaller brothers and sisters and they don't know what might happen to them, so do not harm the little boy. Above all, God is watching them."
Police Commissioner Francis Forbes confirmed that three men were being interrogated in connection with the matter. One was held with a firearm and is to be charged soon.
"It is a terrible act. But we are still hopeful and we are doing a lot of work on the ground. We brought down the helicopter and we did some work in the area. We are hoping that the people who have this child will be humane and give him up to his parents," Mr. Forbes said.
Police say that shortly before 1:00 p.m. on Friday, three men travelling in a dark green Toyota Corolla, visited the Faith Kindergarten School, which is situated at the Faith Temple Assembly Church at 6 Princess Street, Montego Bay.
The men told a teacher that they were cousins of Jovayn and that they had come to collect him.
Upon receiving the boy, one of the men handed a note to the teacher, which warned that "if anyone should call the police it would be death."
The men sped off in the car. The police were alerted and a man-hunt was launched for the trio and the boy.
The abductors later telephoned the boy's father and demanded $10 million for his release. The men told him to meet them at John's Hall Square where the money would be paid over.
But shortly after contacting Mr. Miller, one of the men went to his restaurant in Lilliput to solicit money.
While there, a detective party swooped down on the building and held the man. A 9mm pistol with five live rounds was taken from him.
At about 12:30 a.m. yesterday, a detective party set up a dragnet at John's Hall Square. Some time after, three cars approached and parked in different directions, while the occupants lay in wait for the child's father.
However, a policeman who was routinely patrolling the area drove up, parked behind one of the vehicles and entered a shop. The men, the police said, opened fire.
A shoot-out ensued during which one of the gunmen was hit and a 9mm pistol with eight rounds recovered.
Police say that one of the gunmen's bullet pierced the windscreen of a car which is owned by Detective Superintendent N.A. Salmon - the new crime chief for Area One.
Meanwhile, the police have confirmed that one of the seized cars was that used to abduct the boy. The occupants of the third car managed to escape.
