Want Answers – By Azara Lavia
Want Answers Khalid Shabbaz
Khalid Shabbaz is calling for the resignation of Prison Superintendent Colonel Trevor Pennyfeather and Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin, as he continues to demand answers surrounding the death of his son, Rashawn Shabbaz, at His Majesty’s Prison.
Shabbaz is also calling on members of the public to join a protest next Thursday, August 20, beginning outside the prison at 8:30 a.m. before moving to the Ministry of Legal Affairs.
The protest, he said, is intended to draw attention not only to his son’s death, but to what he describes as a wider failure to provide answers and closure to families affected by deaths in custody, missing persons cases and unsolved murders.
“We need answers. We need closure, and we need it now,” Shabbaz said, arguing that too many families have been left waiting for information about what happened to their loved ones.
He said repeated promises of investigations have done little to ease the concerns of families who remain without definitive answers.
“There’s too many missing people in this country. There’s too many murders in this country where families have not gotten any closure,” Shabbaz stated.
The bereft father is particularly critical of what he describes as a lack of communication and accountability from the authorities, saying the public is increasingly concerned about safety and the effectiveness of the justice system.
Shabbaz said people are unsure about what will happen next and questioned the absence of what he considers adequate public explanations and follow-up investigations.
“Justice seems like it has fallen or gone to sleep in this country,” he said.
His call for the resignation of Pennyfeather and Benjamin comes against the backdrop of the July 23rd death of his son at the prison.
Rashawn Shabbaz, 36, died after he was taken from the prison to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre.
According to the police account, prison officers attempted to escort Rashawn from his cell for a scheduled medical assessment. Police said he became aggressive and barricaded himself inside the cell, preventing officers from carrying out the transfer.
Several attempts were reportedly made to resolve the situation peacefully before law enforcement assistance was requested. Police said Rashawn continued to resist and threaten officers, resulting in the use of non-lethal measures to remove him from the cell.
He was subsequently taken to the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre, where medical personnel attempted to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at approximately 11:37 a.m.
Police have not disclosed the cause of death and said that a full inquiry will be conducted into the events leading to Rashawn’s death.
Shabbaz, however, says the family cannot simply wait for answers and is pressing for greater accountability.
The planned protest is expected to bring the issue directly to the prison and the Ministry of Legal Affairs, with Shabbaz urging people affected by unresolved cases to attend with placards and T-shirts bearing photographs of their loved ones.
“We want answers. We want solutions to what’s taking place in our country,” he said.
