MURDER MYSTERY TARNISHES JAMAICA'S CWC TRIUMPH

C O N F I D E N T I A L KINGSTON 000413 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR (RBUDDEN) E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2017 TAGS: PGOV PREL KCRM SUBJECT: MURDER MYSTERY TARNISHES JAMAICA'S CWC TRIUMPH Classified By: Ambassador Brenda LaGrange Johnson for Reasons 1.5 (b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: The death of Robert Woolmer, Pakistan's Cricket World Cup (CWC) coach and a British national, has been ruled a murder. At a press conference March 22, Jamaica Constabulary Force officials confirmed that Woolmer "died as a result of asphyxia due to manual strangulation." Publicly, no motive or suspects have been identified by the police. Deputy Police Commissioner Mark Shields (who is running the investigation) has said only that there was no sign of forced entry into Woolmer's room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel, indicating that Woolmer may have known his assailant and admitted him/her freely into the room. Sources in the British High Commission are confident that the investigation is being "well-run" and that the JCF has "leads and a suspect." End Summary. ¶2. (U) Woolmer's Death Followed Pakistan's Elimination from CWC Play: Robert Woolmer, a British citizen born in India, was a former cricket batsman for England. He started coaching the Pakistani national cricket team in 2004. His team came into the CWC ranked number four in the world, but was upset in its first two games first by West Indies and then by "minnow" Ireland. Their embarrasing loss to Ireland on St. Patrick's Day made it impossible for Pakistan to progress into the "Super 8" second round of CWC play. ¶3. (U) Woolmer was found dead in his Kingston hotel room less than a day after the loss to Ireland. While blood, vomit, and feces were found in Woolmer's room, Deputy Police Commissioner Mark Shields has said publicly that there were no signs of forced entry or a struggle in the room and that none of Woolmer's personal belongings were missing. Shields has also speculated that "it would take some force because Bob was a large man... It could be one or more persons." No motive has been publicly identified, but speculation in the media is rampant. Media reports, including an editorial in The Jamaica Observer, have also alleged that Woolmer's autopsy was mishandled and required outside assistance. ¶4. (C) NAS Director spoke with UK High Commission (HC) political officer who said the HC is following the case closely but trying to stay out of the way. She said that fuss about the investigation was "overblown;" that the autopsy was handled properly by Jamaican officials and was conclusive (a second post-mortem examination was conducted only to "double-check" a few things); and that the Jamaican Ministry of National Security is keeping "hands-off," allowing the JCF to handle the investigation. Nonetheless, the source also said that Minister of National Security Peter Phillips is "very worried" about the impact of the murder on the semi-final game to be played in Jamaica and about the potential impact more generally on Jamaica's image and on the tourism industry. He has been in touch with other security ministers in the region, and there will likely be a coordinated announcement of an initiative to beef up hotel security to calm travelers, fears. ¶5. (C) COMMENT: In all the crisis scenarios Post prepared prior to the start of CWC in Jamaica, this type of murder was not a part of the calculations. Until Woolmer's murder, CWC had generally exceeded expectations, with a very successful opening ceremony in Trelawny and relatively smooth operation during matches in Kingston. Woolmer's murder, making headlines around the world, will almost certainly detract from the positive attitude and press that had so far surrounded CWC in general and Jamaica specifically. Jamaica is already infamous for its murder rate - one of the highest in the world - and this high-profile murder mystery will not improve its image. Early statements from Jamaican tourism ministry officials that the murder will not affect tourist travel seem overly optimistic. The murder and perceived initial fumbling of the investigation have dimmed some of Jamaica's CWC glow. The outcome of CWC (in terms of the West Indies' team's performance and Jamaica's performance on the world stage as co-host) may affect the timing of national elections. Thus, the further handling of the Woolmer investigation may be of continuing interest. Post will report further developments. End comment. JOHNSON