THE OFFICE of the Director of Public Prosecutions has been consulted by the police as they try to solve the murder of former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer.
Woolmer, 58, was strangled inside his Jamaica Pegasus hotel room last week Sunday, less than a day after Pakistan crashed out of the ICC Cricket World Cup having been beaten by minnows Ireland at Sabina Park.
"We have apprised the Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry, and he, as far as I am aware, is very satisfied with the progress of the investigation," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Mark Shields told The Gleaner yesterday.
"He has a role in terms of presenting the evidence to the coroner's inquest and that is why he has been consulted," DCP Shields added.
DNA samples
Meanwhile, top sleuths of the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) team said they are looking past CCTV footage and towards DNA samples and records of the door key, to lead them to the person(s) involved in the murder of Mr.Woolmer.
Two investigators who spoke with The Gleaner news team on separate occasions yesterday said the footage of the CCTV on the 12th floor of the hotel where Woolmer's unconscious body was found, has not been very helpful.
Police said last week that the killer(s) may be known to the former South Africa coach as there were no signs of forced entry and nothing was stolen.
Meanwhile, despite the cause of death being known, Mr. Woolmer's case, as well as there being no suspects in the murder, a coroner's inquest has been ordered into the case.
Under Jamaican laws, a coroner's inquest is held to ascertain if anyone is criminally responsible for a sudden death.
Asked yesterday why an inquest is being held when the cause of death is known and there is no motive or suspect, Mr. Shields responded that "it is his (the coroner's) decision that he wants to hold a coroner's inquest".
Until the inquest is held, Mr. Woolmer's body will remain within the jurisdiction of the coroner which means it will remain in Jamaica indefinitely before being expatriated to Cape Town, South Africa.
The Gleaner attempted to speak with the Woolmer family via telephone yesterday but a call to their home in Cape Town, South Africa was intercepted by an unnamed relative.
"The family is not giving any comment at the moment. Any comment that you need can be had from Mark Shields," said a woman who identified herself as a cousin of Russell Woolmer, Bob Woolmer's son.
"They have made a statement and that is as much as they are going to do until we know some more. It is a very difficult time for the family," the woman added.
Last Friday the Woolmer family released a statement which in part read: "The news from Jamaica about Bob's death was devastating.
"It is very difficult for the family to come to terms with, and they have no idea why this happened."
Yesterday the police reportedly took the housekeeper who stumbled upon Mr. Woolmer's body, back to the room under heavy police guard as she was being hunted by foreign journalists who have been offering money for information leading to an interview.
daraine.luton@gleanerjm.com
