Mourners gather for the funeral of Belize policemen shot dead by Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin
PICTURED: Belize police chief’s casket is driven through his hometown before family and friends lay him to rest days after Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin was released on bail over the killing
- A funeral for policeman Henry Jemmott was held in his hometown of Dangriga in Belize on Saturday
- His family attended the funeral wearing face masks with the words ‘RIP King’ – Jemmott’s nickname
- Following the service Jemmott’s casket was driven through the town’s streets
- The police officer leaves behind five children and a partner of 14 years
- Jemmott was shot dead during a late night drinking session with Jasmine Hartin
- The Canadian socialite, 32, was released on bail after posting a bond of $15,000
Family and friends of the police officer shot dead in Belize laid the cop to rest in his hometown just days after Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin was released on bail over the killing.
Mourners gathered around Superintendent Henry Jemmott’s casket as it was driven from the Scared Heart Catholic Church in the town of Dangringa following a funeral service.
Jemmott’s family attended the funeral wearing face masks bearing the words ‘RIP King’ – the police officer’s nickname because he was the only son among many daughters.
The congregation sang songs and said prayers before the casket was lifted onto a truck and driven through the streets of Dangriga.
Mourners gathered around Superintendent Henry Jemmott’s casket as it was driven from the Scared Heart Catholic Church in the town of Dangriga following a funeral service
Jemmott’s family attended the funeral wearing face masks bearing the words ‘RIP King’ in honor of the fact that the police offer was the only son among many sisters
During the service, which included a eulogy from Jemmott’s Belizean chef friend Sean Kuylen, mourners could be seen wiping tears from their eyes.
Jemmott, a 24-year veteran of the Belize Police Department, leaves behind five children and a partner of 14 years, described by family as his common-law wife.
The prominent police officer was shot dead by his own service weapon during a late night drinking session with Hartin. His body was found floating beside a pier on the upscale vacation island of San Pedro in the early hours of May 28.
Hartin, 32, who is married to the son of British billionaire Lord Michael Ashcroft, faces a charge of manslaughter by negligence for the killing.
This is the least serious charge she could have faced and one that will likely result in just a fine or a maximum of nine months’ imprisonment.
On Wednesday, the mother-of-two was released on bail after posting a bond of 30,000 Belizean dollars – equivalent to around $15,000.
Jemmott, a 24-year veteran of the Belize Police Department, leaves behind five children and a partner of 14 years, described by family as his common-law wife
Jemmott’s family and friends gathered to pay their respects to the police officer
Belize Police Superintendent Henry Jemmott was shot dead by his own service weapon during a late night drinking session with Canadian socialite Jasmine Hartin
A judge ruled that she was not a flight risk and could return home to her two four-year-old twins.
The Canadian national reportedly insists she fired by accident as she was handing Jemmott his gun after he laid it on a pier while they drank and socialized in violation of Belize’s midnight Covid curfew.
‘It’s not right. It’s not right. The family will feel really bad. This is not justice,’ his sister Cherry Jemmott, 48, an assistant superintendent in the Belize Police, said of the charge.
‘He gave 24 years to the police. And this is the value they put on his life?
The congregation sang songs and said prayers before the casket was lifted onto a truck and driven through the streets of Dangriga
A procession was led through Jemmott’s hometown as the policeman’s body was laid to rest
‘The people can see what is going on here, they are already saying it,’ she added, referring to a flood of social media posts complaining that Hartin was ‘let off’ because of her connections to the ultra-rich expat community.
‘I can’t say too much because of my position but it’s not fair. Something is not right.
‘He was our only boy. She took his life. She deprived him of his family. She deprived us of his love.’
Ashcroft, 75, is a former deputy chairman and key financial backer of the UK’s ruling Conservative Party. He also holds Belizean citizenship, has invested heavily in the country and has represented it at the United Nations.
Canadian socialite and resort owner Jasmine Hartin (left) was drinking with Belize Police Superintendent Henry Jemmott (right) before he died. She has insisted she accidentally shot the officer while handing him his service weapon
Jasmine Hartin was moved to Belize Central Prison before being released on bail after posting a bond of 30,000 Belizean dollars – equivalent to around $15,000
The Ashcrofts’ latest venture – in partnership with hotel giant Marriott – is the gleaming new Alaia resort, which was completed during lockdown and opened just three weeks ago.
It has a rooftop pool and rooms were going for $1,000 a night this week. The Ashcrofts are also building a condominium building on nearby land.
He was a senior officer on Ambergris Caye for three years from 2016 when its believed he became friendly with the Ashcrofts, after which he returned to his family on mainland Belize.
Jemmott headed back to the island last week for a vacation and fishing trip after taking time off work for ‘personal issues’, linking up with Hartin who was an ‘old friend’.
