Nearly two months after prison officer, Corporal Dion Bowles, was stabbed to death during a violent prison break, no one has yet been charged for his murder.
It’s a situation that has his mother, Olivia Bowles, angry.
“I don’t see why the authorities are not contacting me to let me know what is going on and I am saddened about that because my child could have been alive today,” Mrs. Bowles told The Bahama Journal on Monday.
“I am sick, sick, awfully sick of waiting for someone to be charged with my son’s death.”
The grieving mother said since her son’s funeral, she has relocated from her residence in Cat Island to be in New Providence because she wants to be able to look her son’s killer (or killers) in the eyes when there is an arraignment.
One of the men involved in the prison break was Neil Brown, the convicted killer of Anglican Archdeacon William Thompson. Brown was shot and killed while trying to escape, officials reported.
The other three prisoners – Forrester Bowe Jr., a convicted murderer; Barry Parcoi, a convicted rapist; and Corey Hepburn, a convicted armed robber – are all back behind bars.
Initially after the prison incident, police said they were involved in a larger investigation and their immediate concern was not to charge any of the prisoners with murder, but to look at “the bigger picture” and find out exactly how the men were able to execute their plot and whether they had help from anyone else, including prison officers.
A senior police officer said over the weekend that the investigation into the matter was “being wrapped up” and a coroner’s inquest into Mr. Bowels’ killing was expected.
But Mrs. Bowles said she finds the wait for answers “depressing”.
“I feel deserted since the passing of my son and I should not have to feel this way,” she said. “As I said before he was my last boy and I depended on him and now that he is gone I feel empty.”
Mrs. Bowles claimed that she tried to contact prison officials herself, but could not receive answers to her questions.
“They may think because [I’m] old, I am fool, but I am not foolish. I am going to take my time and if they don’t do what they’re supposed to do, I will make sure something is done.”
She again renewed her call for hangings to resume.
“I have to take action because my son did not die a natural death,” Mrs. Bowles added. “These men should be killed just how my son was killed. He was treated like a beast and the court should have no mercy on them.”
The 76-year-old mother also commented on the Privy Council ruling abolishing the mandatory death penalty for convicted murders in The Bahamas. One of the men who had challenged the mandatory death penalty was Forrester Bowe, who as mentioned was one of the prisoners involved in the escape.
The Privy Council case was heard more than a month before the prison break.
“The law ought to be carried out,” Mrs. Bowles said.
“I am so sorry for the country because sooner or later the country is going to hit bottom. The persons who are responsible for upholding the laws will be killed because nothing is being done to the criminals when they murder innocent people and they are just remaining in prison getting fat.”
Mrs. Bowles said since her son was murdered, she has sleepless nights and she said keeping the family together has become a challenge because everyone is suffering from this loss.
She vowed that the entire family would not rest until the persons responsible for her son’s death are dealt with accordingly.
Gail Bowles, Corporal Bowles’ sister, said she was still too distraught to comment.
By: Bianca Symonette, The Bahama Journal
