San Pedro’s Alfredo Cowo Predicted He Would Die – But Who Killed Him?
Alfredo Cowo
A murder in San Pedro shortly after midnight has rocked the community because the victim had predicted his demise. Twenty-six-year-old Alfredo Cowo last week Tuesday told News Five’s Duane Moody that he felt his life was under threat following a case in which two police officers, who he took to court for firing at him and others, were out free. Last night as he sat in a golf cart along with his pregnant girlfriend on Barrier Reef Drive, death visited him when a gun man unleashed the deadly shots. In the following story, Paola Reyes, recounts the horrific event. News Five’s Isani Cayetano reports.
Isani Cayetano, Reporting
The first homicide to be recorded in San Pedro since the beginning of the year comes exactly one week after the shooting victim foretold his demise in an interview with News Five. Twenty-six-year-old Alfredo Cowo and his girlfriend were seated in a golf cart in front of Jaguar’s on Monday night when an unknown assailant approached them. Surveillance footage obtained from the area, reportedly shows the gunman taking a good look at his quarry before opening fire on him at close range. Cowo was mortally injured, his girlfriend barely escaping with her life.
Voice of: Paola Reyes, Girlfriend of Deceased [Translated]
“I was sitting with him in his golf cart, watching a video on his Facebook. Then we heard a gunshot. He grabbed his head and looked behind him. They then shot him again; the bullet entered through here. He ran under his golf cart. He didn’t want them to hurt him more. I jumped on top of him screaming for them to not hurt him. The man who shot him ran away and I saw two other men waiting for him down the street. I could not identify them.”
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, shortly after midnight, patrons from neighboring establishments poured out into Barrier Reef Drive to witness what had taken place. Inside the golf cart, the resident of San Pedrito lay wounded with a gunshot to the right side of the chest.
Henry Jemmoth
Supt. Henry Jemmoth, O.C., San Pedro Police
“Acting upon information, police proceeded to the San Pedro Polyclinic where they saw a male person suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the chest. Police then learned the person’s name to be one Alfredo Mansea Cowo, a twenty-six-year-old fisherman of San Pedrito Area, San Pedro Town. Initial reports into the matter stated that he was socializing near Central Park by an establishment where a male person came and fired several shots in his direction which apparently caught him in the chest area. He was then transported by air to the K.H.M.H. where he succumbed to his injuries.”
Cowo, our viewers would recall, was the subject of an interview conducted last Tuesday when it was reported that a case against a pair of police officers had been dismissed after the prosecutor failed to appear in the San Pedro Magistrate’s Court. Here’s what he told us in that question and answer session via telephone.
Alfredo Cowo
On the phone: Alfredo Cowo, Shooting Victim [File: January 9th, 2018]
“Lotta people tell me that when dehn bally come back they wah come pay me a visit or ih come shoot me or kill me. And lotta thing and I have to di watch over my shoulders because I don’t take no threat lightly.”
Duane Moody
“So you believe that your life will now be threatened given the fact that you had basically made a report against these officers?”
On the phone: Alfredo Cowo
“Yeah, because lotta people tell me yo know because they bally go bout di talk dehn business weh dehn want do when they get back their jobs.”
Cowo was one of five persons injured in April 2017, when police constables Norman Coye and Darnell Madril began firing indiscriminately into a throng of club goers outside of the very same establishment where he was executed in the wee early hours of today.
Reporter
“Did he mention to you if he had any previous incident with someone else or any discussion?”
Norman Coye & Darnell Madril
Voice of: Paola Reyes [Translated]
“Yes, he had a problem before, when he was shot the first time… That was the only problem he had. He was going to court for that. The case was thrown out and so he came here to the city to appeal the case.”
Reporter
“That was in relation to what incident?”
Voice of: Paola Reyes [Translated]
“I don’t know. That was all he told me when I was with him.”
Cowo’s girlfriend of five months was unaware of the matter he was seeking to reopen against the officers. His family believes that his death may have been the result of that intention. Superintendent Henry Jemmoth is in charge of the San Pedro Police Sub-formation. He says that there are no indications that Coye and Madril are involved in the incident, however, the investigation into Cowo‘s murder is still very nascent.
Supt. Henry Jemmoth
“I have no information to suggest that at this time. Like I said, the investigation is very, it’s in its infant stage and a lot more work needs to be done, groundwork needs to be done before we can start casting aspersions and assumptions. I would ask that the general public assists the police in this case because we know that people saw and we need these people to come forward and give evidence so that we can solve this murder and have San Pedro return to some form of normalcy within that area.”
Sadly, Cowo leaves behind his girlfriend, several children, as well as an unborn.
Reporter
“How will you remember him?”
Voice of: Paola Reyes [Translated]
“He was a good person. I’m in love with him. I’m pregnant for him now.”
Reporter
“Your first child?”
Voice of: Paola Reyes [Translated]
“No he has other children.”
Reporting for News Five, I am Isani Cayetano.
