Secret burial for gangster Ratty disrupted by cops
Relatives of the late Ryan ‘Ratty’ Peterkin, who tried to lay the notorious gangster to rest privately, were in for a rude awakening after members of the security forces invaded the church and detained all the male mourners in attendance.
The thanksgiving service, which was held at the Retrieve United Church on July 12, was only open to a select few close friends and family members, but it was disrupted when all the men were detained Freeport Police Station.
“No funeral nuh keep, no pastor no preach,” a female relative of Peterkin said when contacted by WESTERN STAR. “By the time the pastor fi preach, police and soldiers come inside the church with their long guns and take out all the man dem, about 32 of them.”
A senior policeman at Area One Police Headquarters confirmed the incident but would at the not be drawn into providing details.
The detainees, some of whom were from other parishes, were processed and all but seven released.
“They kept them in their funeral clothes until the Sunday with no explanation then released them,” said another relative. “The police had to know about the plans for the funeral, but we kept it quiet otherwise for several reasons ... we never expected such disrespect from them.”
“The media has said all sorts of things, and the police have done their thing. It is the rights of the family to give him a decent burial, but even that was taken away from us,” he said.
WESTERN STAR also understands that relatives who had voiced their objection to Ratty’s lifestyle were not considered for the secret burial, while his mother, who lives in the United States, did not get to attend. – A.F.