Cayman fugitive Herbert Walker returned to George Town from his Jamaica hideaway Friday morning.
Escorted by Serious Crimes detectives, and clutching a copy of the inspirational volume Growing Through Life’s Tougher Times with his hands cuffed, Walker was bundled into a waiting car .
He was sentenced in April 2004 to eight years for rape and two years for indecent assault and could face a possible three-month to nine- month additional sentence for fleeing the country.
He is slated to appear in court today.
‘We have been coordinating operations into one big operation, and instead of just looking for drugs and doing it piecemeal, it involved operations of the serious crimes group and the Jamaica Constabulary and the army,’ said Superintendent Ken Hall, head of Cayman’s Criminal Investigation Division.
‘Walker had discussed returning on his own, and myself and a deputy investigative officer had made arrangements for him to return last week.
‘But the Jamaican Constabulary had gotten into the area where he was and he got scared. He went to the police himself and was placed into protective custody before he got shot,’ Mr. Hall said.
Walker, 28, was convicted last year on 15 April of a 25 May, 2003, rape and indecent assault.
He fled Cayman on 29 April, two weeks after his conviction.
‘He had been on bail for two years, then on the day of his sentencing, he took his brother’s passport and vanished,’ said Detective Inspector Kurt Walton.
Local police had sought extradition, but, said Mr Walton, ‘Jamaica is a big country, and someone can hide for a long, long time.’
Mr. Hall expressed satisfaction at the return of Walker.
”It’s important to get back any fugitive that leaves the jurisdiction. You cannot just leave and expect we’ll forget about you.
‘Rape is a major offence, punishable with life imprisonment. It’s the top echelon of domestic violence and there is a huge amount of what we call ‘domestic intolerance’ in this country.
‘So we welcome the opportunity to have him back. To ignore that would be a disservice to the community,’ he said.
Walker will be eligible for parole in about two-and-a-half years, something both officers decried.
‘Once you serve one-third of your sentence, you can go to parole, and Walker could get out. We need seriously to review the legislation,’ the detective inspector said. ‘It’s one of our biggest problems right there.’
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