Hernandez was charged for the murder of Alston Penn. The body of Penn was found on Windy Hill, Tortola on the morning of March 10, 2017.PHOTO/VINO File

Governor Agustus J. U. Jaspert

Commissioner of Police (CoP) Michael ‘Mick’ Matthews.PHOTO: VINO/FILE

Santo Yamarco Hernandez was one of several prisoners who had escaped the Balsum Ghut Tortola Prison facilities after it was extensively damaged by Hurricane Irma on September 6, 2017. He was on the run until officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force (RVIPF) discovered him hiding out in an abandoned house in the Butu Mountain community in December 2017.

Hernandez was injured while he was being apprehended and he subsequently succumbed to those injuries while being a patient at the Peebles Hospital. His death led to a in a public outcry and calls for the matter to be investigated as many expressed the view that he was unjustly killed.

SELF DEFENCE

Today September 20, 2018, in a release issued by the office of the Governor of the Virgin Islands His Excellency Agustus J. U. Jaspert, it was stated that the investigations concluded that the police officers acted in self defense.

 "I am pleased that the investigators have found that the officers involved acted lawfully in carrying out their duties and were acting in defence of their lives and those of their colleagues,"  the Governor said in the release. The information provided by the governor was taken from the  summary of the report which was issued by the Royal Turks & Caicos Islands Commissioner of Police into the incident .

The Governor said that Hernandez “regrettably died following the operation” as a result of the injuries he sustained. “The independent investigation by the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police has now concluded and they have provided a Summary Report and a Confidential Report,” the Governor stated in the release.  

Investigators were tasked with undertaking a thorough review of the incident as well as make an assessment of whether RVIPF Officers was justified in their use of force.

NO CRIMINAL CHARGES

The Governor said both the Summary Report and a more detailed Confidential Report have been submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions and Her Majesty’s Coroner for their consideration. The DPP has since concluded that there are no criminal charges to be preferred in this matter.

The investigation resulted in recommendations relative to the RVIPF as regards equipment, training and record keeping. The detailed recommendations are now being implemented by the RVIPF Commissioner of Police. 

While expressing condolences to the relatives and family of Hernandez, the Governor expressed appreciation to the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force for their work on the investigation.

The RVIPF was also recognized by the Governor who noted that the police officers have to make difficult decisions daily n the interest of safety our safety and security.