Saint Lucia: Man charged in fatal shooting of estranged wife

Saint Lucia: A 34-year-old man was charged with murder on Monday, May 25, in connection with the fatal shooting of his 24-year-old estranged wife, a mother of one. The accused appeared before the Castries Magistrate’s Court and was remanded into custody until June 30.

The accused has been identified as Primus Toussaint, resident of Belvedere, Canaries and the victim has been identified as 24-year-old Joy St Omer, his estranged wife, (a woman who is legally married but no longer lives with or maintains a romantic relationship with her husband.)

According to police reports, the accused appeared before the Castries Magistrate’s Court on May 25, in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged wife, after he turned himself in to the Criminal Investigations Department accompanied by his lawyer.

During his arraignment, Primus Toussain was formally charged with murder and ordered to be remanded into custody until June 30, by the justice.

Reportedly, the charges stem from the incident that took place on Wednesday, May 20, after officers responding to the reports of gunfire in Marigot, Castries, and on arrival discovered the dead body of the female victim St Omer who was seated unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a vehicle.

The medical or health personnels then checked the mother of one and pronounced her dead at the scene from multiple apparent gunshot wounds. Later the body of the female was transported to the mortuary where a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the exact cause of her death.

The officers then launched a probe into the circumstances surrounding the incident and were actively trying to determine the motive behind the attack, however on the same day the accused directly went to the Criminal Investigations Department with his lawyer and surrendered himself.

Following which the officers arrested and detained him in police custody until he appeared before the Castries Magistrate’s Court on May 25, where he was charged and remanded until June 30, his next date of appearance.

The Royal Saint Lucia Police Force confirmed that an active protection order was in place against Toussaint at the time of the killing as days before the incident, the victim filed a complaint following which the accused was charged with assault, threats and breaching the same order, but was later released by the court. The officers also stated that just a few hours before the incident St Omer had filed a final police report against her estranged husband.

This incident has sparked outrage across Saint Lucia as people believe that the justice system failed to protect her. Many people took to Facebook to express their concern as one of the users commented “she knew she was in danger that’s why she asked for help, but the High Court Judge, and perhaps the Prosecutor, failed her for releasing the accused.”