Dangriga Mourns as Superintendent Henry Jemmott is Laid to Rest
Two weeks after he was shot dead in San Pedro Town, forty-two-year-old Superintendent of police Henry Jemmott was laid to rest in his hometown, Dangriga. He was given all the official trappings of a send off fitting for a senior officer and many onlookers lined the streets as the police, including the military band played along the route leading to the cemetery. A News Five team attended and here’s a report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
It was a celebration of the life of the career officer, who worked with the Belize Police Department for almost two and a half decades under varying capacities. His life was cut short two weeks ago, on May twenty-eighth 2021. But for family and friends, Superintendent Henry Jemmott was “King” – born the only son among many sisters on February sixth, 1979.
Henry Jemmott
Sean Kuylen, Friend of Deceased
“Today, we say goodbye to the twenty-third child and the youngest son of Maria Concepcion Arana Jemmott and Henry Levi Alexander Jemmott Senior. The world hurls to his name, his weighty legacy, the Superintendent of Police, the protector, the gentle giant of a man. But to those of us who loved him and ache with his passing, we know Henry Jemmott as a father, a brother, a friend and the “King.”
Hundreds of persons came out to say their final farewell to the senior cop at the Sacred Heart Parish in Dangriga, including ministers of government Kareem Musa and Doctor Louis Zabaneh, as well as senior officers from the Belize Police Department and other officials. Giving the testimonial on behalf of the department was Senior Superintendent Linden Flowers.
Sr. Supt. Linden Flowers, Belize Police Department
“In the year 2006, he took over a bigger mandate in Belize City. At that time, I was the Commander of Prosecution Branch and Henry would have made some arrests and brought in case files from his unit. I would assess them for evidence and Henry witnessed it and so that we would have better chance of securing a conviction.”
Sean Kuylen
“Disciplined, dedicated, determined young man. His persona with the department propelled him through different ranks in the department. He worked tirelessly with passion, integrity, giving all he was. His aim was to bridge the gap between the civilians and the police, making Belize safe for all.”
Jemmott was well-liked by the community. His death hit his friend Kevin Sabal hard.
Kevin Sabal
Kevin Sabal, Family Friend
“He show off bad, which I love very much. His transfers – boss when yo di come look fi me? I gwen dah San Pedro yo know. The last time I met “King” he was in Belmopan and he was about to move to Cayo, San Ignacio. He told me that. I told him it was my birthday. Ih say, “Weh we wah do then?” I say, “Bwai yo di work.” Ih say, “Work soon over.” I stood there, we spent the night together and the next time I heard about him was that he was being moved again to Belize City. And when the news broke that afternoon, I was at the farm. Farm duties cancelled; came home, meal cancelled. Wait for the night, sleeping cancel. It is a tough time because at my house, he was referred to as yo big son di look fi yo.”
In the eulogy on behalf of the family, childhood friend of Jemmott, Chef Sean Kuylen chronicled the life of the man who wore many hats.
Sean Kuylen
Sean Kuylen
“Henry the friend, Henry the protector. Henry attended Sacred Heart Roman Catholic School right here to my left. This is where I met him at age seven. Our friendship lasted about thirty-five years, give or take. The reason for give or take is because don’t you ever make the mistake and don’t call king on his birthday, February sixth, because ih wah cut yo off for the rest of the year. King the protector loved his family, loved his sisters and later you will see he named all of his children after them. He protected his loved ones and his friends to a fault. King di classmate. He was naturally very intelligent. King was the life of every room; always happy, always dancing. If yo look to the back ah yo, yo got wah lee fence weh name Carl Ramos Stadium; dehn time cable just come dah Dangriga and we di watch BET, Black Entertainment Television. Jemmott with his friends, VED and Bongo, use to go make movie there with cement block on their shoulders. King loved drumming. We, myself, played and knocked drum on every single thing we could knock drum. King loved sports. He travelled to many countries playing basketball. The man dah mi wah maaga man; tall and maaga. Later on he was a conductor of Ritche’s bus line. We played on a band. King di drummer again. Once summer, King travelled with the Griga Boys Band. In fact, this band was formed in my grandmother’s yard, Manuela Young’s yard, Victor Young’s yard ina wa cement vat. We used to practice every afternoon after school with old Ovaltine pan, calabash, shaka, turtle shell, makeshift drums.”
Jemmott was a father of five. Interesting, he too had only one son. Duane Moody for News Five.
Jasmine Hartin, the woman charged manslaughter by negligence in the shooting death of Superintendent Henry Jemmott late last month in San Pedro, is out on bail awaiting a trial date.
