Grenada: Teenager charged with murder of Ariel Bolah

Last updated: November 15, 2017 at 14:06 pm

A teenager in Grenada has been charged with capital murder following the death of Frequente schoolgirl Ariel Bolah.

He is expected to appear at St George’s magistrate court later today to answer the charge.

Sources have told WIC News that the court will decide whether he will be charged as an adult or a juvenile. Local reports quote police as saying he has a criminal record. The body of nine-year-old Ariel was discovered in woodland at around 11am on Saturday, less than 24 hours after she was last seen on her way home from school.

She was due to celebrate her 10th birthday next month.

The 17-year-old suspect has not been named but WIC News understands he is not known to the family.

“The Royal Grenada Police Force expresses sincere thanks to the media, community members and general public for the assistance rendered in the search for the late, Ariel Bhola of Frequente, St George,” a police statement said.

“As we grieve the loss of Ariel we pray that God will grant us all the strength to bear the great pain.

“Our condolences to her parents, family and friends, principal and staff of Blessed Sacrament RC School and her schoolmates.”

Officials and counsellors from the Ministry of Social Services have been in touch with the family, according to a statement from the New National Party.

“The death of little Ariel Bhola [sic], alien to our values and who we are as a people, affects us all,” said Delma Thomas, minister for social services.

“We shall not – and must not – remain numb nor silent in the face of unspeakable evil.”

Vincent Roberts, chairman of the National Democratic Congress party, urged society to be proactive in addressing issues of child abuse.

“We have to come together as a nation, as a society and address this problem,” he said.

Grenada’s minister for health, Nikolas Steele said: “In this dark moment, let us display our finer qualities.”

The murder is the 12th to strike the country this year.