DPP to decide on Matura killing

DIRECTOR of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson is expected to be called in to give directions to the police regarding the death of 25-year-old Garthon Joseph who fell about 40 feet to his death after being chased.

Senior Eastern Division police officers told Newsday yesterday that the death has “criminal implications” since Joseph, of Rio Grande Trace, Matura, was chased. Homicide sources also described Joseph’s death as unnatural and were awaiting yesterday’s post mortem report to determine exactly which way the investigations will swing.  The autopsy had not been performed up to late evening, however. “We are viewing the incident as serious,” a senior officer said, adding that they need to look at all the evidence gathered before taking it to the DPP.

Police sources also said that Joseph was not familiar with the area and therefore did not know where he was running while being chased. Police reports are that around 3am Sunday, Joseph and five others including his 27-year-old brother, Garth were walking south along the Toco Main Road, Matura. Police sources told Newsday when the five reached the vicinity of a beach house, they noticed another group of five coming from the opposite direction.

Police said a member of the other group began to make “bad jokes” and later chased Garthon Joseph, who ran a short distance then fell over a 40-foot cliff and fell to the rocks below. Lawmen said members of both groups carried Joseph first to the Sangre Grande Police Station then to the Sangre Grande Hospital.  He was said to be bleeding from the nose and frothing from the mouth. And around 6am Sunday, police said hospital authorities informed them of Joseph’s death. A report was made and a party of officers under Cpl Phillip Llewelyn of the Matura Police Post visited the scene and conducted investigations.