CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Feb 17, CMC – Police have charged one of their colleagues with murder following a police operation in Marigot, west of here last month.

Police said that Gilroy Gaston, who has been released on EC$15,000 (One EC dollar =US$0.37 cents) bail, was charged with the murder of 39-year-old Yves Rene alias “Nazarene, who was shot during the operation on January 8.

The authorities said that the investigation was launched with the guidance of the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The arrest comes as law enforcement authorities here continue to grapple with the so-called IMPACS report that looked at extra-judicial killings here.

In 2013, the St Lucia government enlisted the help of the Jamaican police to investigate the Royal St. Lucia Police Force following a decision by the United States to withdraw security-related assistance after claims of human rights violations.

In August 2013, Washington suspended all forms of assistance to the RSLPF, citing allegations of serious human rights violations.

“The Department of State has made a policy decision to withdraw training and material assistance to the Royal St Lucia Police Force due to credible allegations of gross human rights violations,” the US State Department said in a statement then.