Tawes Meadows residents blast cops for killing ‘good don’

"Dem kill off mi good, good don. Weh we a go find back a good don now?" a woman uttered as she mourned the death of reputed One Order strongman Othneil 'Thickman' Lobban on Thursday.

The area leader was cut down during an alleged confrontation with members of the security forces in St Andrew on Wednesday night. An illegal firearm was reportedly recovered from the scene. As she stood barefooted among a group of other women, the resident angrily stated that if given the opportunity, she would readily become a suicide bomber.

"Right now mi just wah know where mi can all find two bomb because, honestly, mi woulda strap dem to mi chest and walk go inna police station and press the button. Mi know mi woulda dead, but mi would feel better because a no mi and mi don alone would go six-foot-six," another female stated.

Lobban's death has caused unrest in the old capital as businesses were shut tight. The usually lively market district of Cumberland Avenue was lifeless. Just hours after Lobban's death, thugs set the Courts Bargain Centre on Young Street ablaze, damaging several pieces of furniture and appliances. Schools and financial institutions were also closed.

Hundreds of policemen and soldiers were deployed in Spanish Town, with the majority being stationed along Tawes Meadows, where Lobban resided. Residents, especially the women, all had high praises for Lobban, who they called a "godsend".

"A bare good Thickman do fi we, and the whole world can testify to dat. A God send dat man in we life and the wicked police dem kill him. Thickman was a nice and fun-loving person, and he was not a man who disrespect people. Him run joke with down to the baby on breast. Everyone love him, and up to December gone him keep treat on the ball ground for the senior citizens," she said.

The women said they were shocked when they learnt of his demise, and did not believe until they saw a photograph of his lifeless body.

"We never expected dis, and we belly all a run the way we traumatise. When all storm a come, Thickman look food and distribute. The man fix all the road; and back-to-school time, every child get sumpn. He was big on education, so if yuh go to him and tell him say yuh child no have no lunch money, him a give dem. By 8 p.m., every pickney have to be in dem house on a school night. If yuh want dinner money or even doctor bill fi pay, a Thickman a do it," the woman said, stressing that it was Lobban, not the security forces, who maintained law and order in the space. She said residents are now cowering in fear, as their protector is gone.

"Tawes Pen alone inna Spanish Town yuh can sleep with you door open and no 'fraid. The woman dem feel safe because no raping can't gwan. No fight can't gwan, because we 'fada' a go address tings in a non-violent way. Right now, s**t water a go kill we off back, because a Thickman did get di pipe fix and it stop flow. Him was we protection and him never deserve this," she said. Another resident claimed that Lobban was constantly terrorised by the police.

"It get so bad that him have him nice house and never stay deh. One morning, some police come raid and dem go away with one foot a every shoes him have. Dem mash up him game dem; fi wah, mi nuh know," a female said.

The unrest in Spanish Town began on Wednesday when the tyres of several police vehicles were slashed by persons along the Ellerslie Pen-Tawes Pen corridor. The police said they were attacked by the residents after they tried to arrest a resident.

As security forces patrolled the area, some community members hurled insults, while others bragged about stoning them on Wednesday.

"We nuh trouble police. Yesterday (Wednesday) di police dem get two stone yes, but a dem trouble we first. We a go block back di road; so dem can stay deh," a female said.