Diaspora member calls for gov’t to publicise sex offender registry

The murder and rape of 10 year-old Shani Coke has triggered outrage throughout Jamaica’s Diaspora, with one North Florida commentator calling for the government to publicise its Sex Offender Registry. Shani, or Kaidra, as she was known to family and friends, was found dead on July 21 in bushes in Troy, Trelawny. Police report that there were signs she had been raped.

Jermaine Vernal, host of Voice Of The Nation programme, said the incident warrants consideration for a public Sex Offender Registry. READ: UPDATE: Police identify child killed gruesomely in Trelawny “This is not a campaign rooted in punishment or public outrage. It is about empowering schools, childcare facilities, youth organisations, religious institutions, sports clubs, and other relevant agencies with the information necessary to safeguard children from individuals who have been convicted of sexual offences against minors,” Vernal stated.

Vernal, whose programme broadcasts Mondays to Fridays (8:30 to 9:30 pm) on Instagram and TikTok Live, says Jamaicans from across the United States contacted his show to express their anger at Shani’s death. He said they agreed that people should be alerted when sex offenders are in their communities. Shortly after Shani’s body was discovered by a farmer, residents assaulted two of her relatives who lived nearby.

One of them, Delroy Coke, died as a result of his wounds while his father was hospitalised. The police have not found any evidence they were linked to Shani’s death. Under the Sexual Offences Act of 2009, a Sex Offender Registry was established in Jamaica.

Monitored by the Department of Correctional Services, it is not available for public viewing. But in May 2025, following the murder of nine year-old Kelsey Cassidy Ferrigon in Spanish Town, prime minister Dr Andrew Holness suggested that the time had come for a change. “This incident must be considered a turning point.

The person who is alleged to have committed the crime is someone who is a repeat offender. And as the mother of the child who perished pointed out, she had no idea that this man who was essentially her neighbour was a repeat offender and was actually out on bail,” he said. “So that speaks to certain weaknesses, certain issues.