Relative claims.... MAN COMMITS SUICIDE FOR RESIDENCY

A Jamaican man, who allegedly committed suicide because of a run-in with immigration officers recently in the island of Sint Maarten, was laid to rest last week amid the controversy surrounding his death.

Information reaching THE STAR is that on October 18, family members returned home from church and stumbled on the body of 37-year-old Jeffrey Samuels.

He was found hanging inside his home.

Several media reports suggest that he was suffering from depression, but when contacted by THE STAR, a source close to the family sought to shed light on the issue.

"He worked as a security officer here. He lived in Sint Maarten for about nine years. He hanged himself on Sunday after going to the immigration centre on Friday, October 16, to renew his legal residency and was refused," the relative, who requested anonymity, said.

relevant documents

THE STAR gathered that Samuels allegedly stormed out of the immigration centre, leaving his relevant documents behind and reportedly told an official that he was going to commit suicide.

Several calls to the police force of Sint Maarten to confirm if there was any truth to such report was unsuccessful. However, a post on their official Facebook page was seemingly in reference to the now deceased.

The post said detectives, paramedics and persons from the forensic department were dispatched after receiving a call that a man had committed suicide.

"On the scene, the investigating officers learnt that the 37-year-old victim with initials J.W.S. had been suffering from depression. On Sunday, the family left for church leaving the victim alone at home resting. When the family arrived back from church they realised that the victim had taken his own life by way of hanging."

Samuels was pronounced dead on the scene.

Investigators said there were no signs of foul play at the time.