Evangelist wants no mercy for child killers

The rules of Exodus 21:24 is what should be applied to the killer(s) of Yetanya 'Princess' Francis, according to one Seventh-day Adventist evangelist.

A visibly upset John F Martin said that the 'eye for an eye' scripture should apply, as he believes that unless the ruthless killers get a dose of their own medicine, the crime rate will not decline.

"Even Garnet Silk said in one of his songs that no mercy should be given to the merciless. If me can't live comfortable in my house, you can't live comfortable in your house either," he said.

Francis' partially burnt body was found last Friday morning after she went missing last Thursday night. It is said that she left home to purchase food at a nearby cookshop and did not return. Her body was found behind a church in a section of the Arnett Gardens community in Kingston. It is also believed that she may have been sexually assaulted.

The clergyman also blasted some of the women from the south St Andrew community.

"I remember when another child was killed in her home and another woman come out and speak against the family, saying that they were telling lies on the man dem, and see this incident just prove that it wasn't a lie. All of these women who sit down in Arnett and do nothing will all be punished for what happen to this little girl. These killers are some of them men or sons or just friends," he said.

DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY

Martin, who spent his earlier years in Arnett Gardens, said that he didn't understand why his mother handed over the keys to her home to another female resident and relocated to a one-bedroom house in another Kingston community during the 1970s.

"When she got the keys to her house from National Housing Trust, she gave it to a woman and tell her take it. It was 11 of us, and we asked her why and she just tell us to bite our lips and we will eventually find out. Now I understand why. She was actually protecting her girl children from incidents like this," he said.

The 54-year-old evangelist, who worships at a Seventh-day Adventist church in Portmore, St Catherine, re-emphasised that he is all about the 'eye for an eye' scripture.

The father of seven said that he often wonders what could motivate a human to harm women and children.

"I am really hurt about this killing," he said, while blaming the Government for the spiralling crime rate.

Martin said that while many will lash out at his opinions, he is not bothered, and hoping that there will be some form of divine intervention in the very near future.