Mas band leader and small businessman Linton Wharwood who was shot and injured in an incident on Carnival Monday at his home in Egmont is flying out of the island this afternoon to the United States to receive medical treatment for his injuries.
“Yes, we are aware,” said a top police official when quizzed about whether they knew of the impending departure of Wharwood in the midst of the stepped-up investigation into the incident by officers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
The home owner is leaving the island less than 72-hours after he was released from the St George’s General Hospital where he was rushed for treatment after the shooting incident.
Wharwood had spent several years living in Brooklyn in the United States before purchasing lands at Egmont to build a luxury home.
He and his wife Sherrida who are believed to be having marital problems were known to be running a small nightclub type operation in Brooklyn.
Wharwood was shot in the area of the upper arm by a masked gunman who entered his property, fired an initial shot which missed him and slammed into the head of 30-year old Delvon Thomas who was walking in the yard behind him.
THE NEW TODAY was not able to ascertain whether Wharwood’s wife is accompanying him on the trip.
The police have been reviewing footages of the incident that was captured from a camera on the property.
The departure of Wharwood comes as the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF) is about to make a major change in the composition of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) which is spearheading the investigation into the fatal shooting incident.
In the face of criticisms that the present composition of the CID is one of the weakest in years, a Superintendent with experience in Drug Interdiction, and Criminal activities is being dispatched into the office to take charge of its running.
According to a police insider Supt Esau Pierre could be sent into CID as early as Monday to allow its current head Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ryan Hall the time needed to go out into the field with a contingent of officers to try and crack the case.
A member of the Police High Command indicated that the lawmen are moving in the direction of the formation of a Special Task on Crime to try and solve the Egmont shooting and about six other recent murders on the island.
“We already fast tracking that (Task Force),” said a top police officer.
Another high-ranking member of the force said that the lawmen intend to vigorously pursue all the perpetrators of the recent murders on the island.
He said: “…Please be assured that the RGPF intends to direct all of its capabilities in the best conceived formation and posture to tackle the issue of crime, especially those of the unsolved murders.”
A former staffer at CID pointed an accusing finger at the former New National Party (NNP) administration of Dr. Keith Mitchell for the present weakness in the investigative prowess of the department.
He said that some members of the previous High Command of RGPF who were known supporters of the NNP had deliberately dismantled CID “by transferring the best Detective out of CID because of politics …. now murders are unsolved.”
He called on Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell sand National Security Advisor Willan Thompson to bring back into CID all the competent officers who were removed on suspicion that they were loyal to Congress and not NNP.