The Recent slaying of St.Maarten Police Office Gemali Benjamin has not only left the people of St. Maarten stunned and in deep mourning but also the people of and his family in St.Kitts .
Benjamin has a very strong connection to St.Kitts. He was the brother of Neil Mitchel and the Grandson of Ethel Carty all of Dieppe Bay.
Officer Gamali Benjamin became the first Sint Maarten Police Officer to die in the line of duty
Officer Gamali Kwasi Benjamin was laid to rest on Thursday afternoon at the Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Philipsburg after a funeral service at the Methodist Church in Philipsburg.
The body of the young Officer was driven past the spot where he was shot on front-street last Wednesday then to the Philipsburg Methodist Church where hundreds turned up to say their final goodbye to a man who served the community well during his short stay on the face of this earth.
The Funeral Service was presided over by the Reverend Liana Richardson-Woods and saw speeches from the Prime Minister the Honorable Marcel Gumbs, President of Parliament the Honorable Dr. Lloyd Richardson, Governor of St. Maarten his Excellency Drs. Eugene Holiday, Chief Commissioner of Police Peter de Witter and Justice Minister the Honorable Dennis Richardson.
Just before the start of the funeral service on Thursday, a Winair Twin Otter aircraft could be seen overhead giving the downed man salute. They circled over head several times before proceeding in a south, southeast direction.
The father of Brigadier Gamali Kwasi Benjamin is a senior employee of the airline.
Thursdays funeral which was attended by a wide cross section of the island’s community gave a clear indication of the type of police officer that Brigadier Gamali Kwasi Benjamin was. Not only an Officer but a GENTLEMAN.