An angry mob cornered and chopped a man to death outside a church, while his companions, another man and a woman had to seek refuge inside the vestry in the remote district of Kentucky, Westmoreland, yesterday.

At press time, the Westmoreland police were still trying to ascertain the true circumstances under which the man was murdered, as the residents claimed the three had gone into the community and robbed a shopkeeper. Police say their investigations have suggested otherwise.

The dead man was not identified up to late last night and police confirmed that his friends were being treated at hospital. They are to be interviewed by the Savanna-la-Mar and Bluefields police.

Residents told The Star that a Nissan car with two men and a woman entered the community yesterday and carried out a robbery. An alarm was raised and residents came running to the victim's assistance.

"From last week man a come in a di area robbing people. We decide fi kill somebody this time," an irate resident told The Star, showing no sign of remorse for the bizarre murder. The resident recalled how skilful the driver was in his bid to escape from the community. "Mi say di man reverse faster and better than how mi would drive to Savanna-la-Mar."

He said when residents descended on the strangers, they ran inside the Kentucky Anglican Church. "We did want kill all three a dem and the pastor realise it, so them quickly lock dem up in di church," he said.

smashed windows

The mob smashed some of the church windows, but the Bluefileds police arrived to rescue the woman and the man before the mob got them.

But late yesterday, senior officers dismissed the residents story, charging it was a clear case of murder. The police said the driver of the car had been operating an illegal Cash Pot business with persons in the community.

"He was owed money and when the debtor refused to pay, he took a component set and said he would return it whenever he is paid. The shopkeeper raised an alarm that robbers were in the area and residents attacked them. The man who was killed decided not to run, saying he had done nothing wrong," a senior officer told The Star.