A lawsuit against the state is now being considered as a consequence of the bizarre circumstances which led to the death of an alleged Jamaican cult leader, Kevin Smith, on Monday, October 25.
Kevin Smith, a flamboyant Montego Bay pastor who was arrested earlier this month for allegedly performing human sacrifices in his church, died on Monday in a car accident near the Linstead Bypass near Bog Walk, St. Catherine. A police officer who was present in the car with Smith also died while two others sustained injuries.
The incident occurred just one day before Smith was to appear in the Home Circuit Court in Kingston. He was to be questioned in relation to the murder of two members of his congregation, who were killed during a “cult-like” ritual on Sunday, October 17. One of the victims had her throat slit. A third person died during a gun battle when police arrived at the scene. Three other church-goers were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
While Smith’s team of lawyers, led by Queen’s Counsel Valerie Neita Robertson, have shied away from addressing the alleged rituals which took place at the church, they have raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding his death.
“When we checked with our client at the St. James lockup, we were informed that he was no longer in custody. It was the second time that he was taken out of our custody and we were not informed. While I was on my way to court, I heard that the vehicle in which he was transported, through Linstead, not on the highway — in a motorcar instead of the appropriate vehicle — met in an accident,” she said.
According to Neita-Robertson, the family of the deceased will make a decision on whether they will go forward with a civil suit, which will likely center on allegations of state negligence.
In response to the attorney’s claims, Senior Communication Strategist at JCF, Dennis Brooks said that there was nothing out of the ordinary regarding Smith’s transfer.
“The [Director of Public Prosecutions] DPP did move a voluntary bill of indictment for him to be prosecuted in the Home Circuit Court. In that regard, our job was to bring him to Kingston. He would not have been charged from the St. James Parish Court following the move from the office of the DPP,” Brooks explained. He stated further that all protocols were followed regarding Smith’s transfer.
In the incident which led to his arrest, Smith, who referred to himself as “prophet of the nations”, had warned his followers of an incoming “flood” and instructed them not to take their cell phones to church on the evening on October 17th – which was a no-movement day for the island. The cult leader told his followers that they were being prepared to board an ark and that those who were considered “unclean” would have their blood shed.
Upon witnessing one church member killed, a member of the congregation left and called the police.
“We were concerned that some form of ritualized killing was going to take place and so we did an entry. We found that there were a couple of people who had been injured. There were cult-like behaviors and a cult-like setup that we saw,” explained Police Commissioner Major Antony Anderson.
A total of 144 residents attended the ceremony that night. Fourteen children and 31 women were also part of the congregation. The alleged cult leader was the head of the Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in Montego Bay, St. James.
According to reports, Smith had hundreds of followers from Montego Bay, and had been collecting up to one million dollars a week from the congregation, which he used to buy property, cars and other assets. At the scene, police found scores of potential victims, including naked men and animals, who had been lined up to be sacrificed.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Paula Llewellyn also revealed that the controversial pastor had a criminal record. In 2007, he had been convicted in Canada for sexually assaulting a 21-year-old man. He spent six months in jail and was given two months of discretionary probation.
Smith’s accomplice, Andre Ruddock who allegedly participated in the rituals, now faces charges of murder and wounding with intent. He survived the crash which claimed Smith’s life.
