by Nisha Paul
- Inspector Kellon Noel granted bail of EC$100,000
- At time of his arrest, Noel was serving as officer-in-charge of Victoria Police Station
- Preliminary inquiry into charges scheduled for 25 August at Victoria Magistrate’s Court
Murder-accused police Inspector Kellon Noel has been granted bail in the sum of EC$100,000 in connection with the shooting death of 46-year-old Wellington Welsh in the aftermath of the Sunset City Festival in Victoria, St Mark.
Noel, a senior member of the Royal Grenada Police Force (RGPF), had been remanded to His Majesty’s Prison at Richmond Hill following his initial court appearance on Monday on a Non-Capital Murder charge, and 3 counts of grievous harm arising from the 27 April incident. However, moments later, his attorney Benjamin Hood moved a bail application in the High Court, and bail was granted the same day with 2 sureties. As part of the bail conditions, Inspector Noel has been ordered not to have any contact with witnesses in the case, and is also barred from possessing any firearms or weapons, and is not permitted to leave the State of Grenada while legal proceedings are ongoing.
Emotions ran high outside the St George’s Magistrate’s Court as family members expressed outrage that Noel was shielded from public view on his first court appearance, describing the alleged actions by police escorts as “unjust and unfair.”
However, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Christopher Nelson KC said this security procedure is “not unique to police officers.” Nelson, who is prosecuting the matter, noted that “in cases where there is the perception that there may be crowd control [or] security issues, given the inappropriate facilities that we have, that measure has been adopted in the past.”
Welsh, a property caretaker and father of 2, died while receiving treatment at The General Hospital, 2 days after sustaining a gunshot wound to the head. Welsh’s relatives revealed that he had stepped in to break up a gang-related fight, and had personally sought assistance from Inspector Noel, moments leading up to the unfortunate shooting incident that claimed his life.
Attorney Anselm Clouden, who has been retained to seek the interest of the Welsh family described the officer’s actions as a “very dastardly act,” stating “it highlights the need for police officers to be more restrained, and tolerant when called upon in riotous situations rather than losing control and shooting randomly.”
Welsh’s death has cast a shadow over the St Mark community, prompting renewed calls for accountability and improved safety measures at public events.
At the time of his arrest, Inspector Noel, a sergeant-at-arms for the RGPF, was serving as the officer-in-charge of the Victoria Police Station. He has since been released from active duty. The preliminary inquiry into the charges against him is scheduled to begin on 25 August at the Victoria Magistrate’s Court, which is currently under renovation.
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