General manager of Sentinel Security Services Edgar Hackett said slain 59-year-old veteran security officer Bert Clarke was the embodiment of love who saved his colleague's life.Clarke was killed during a robbery last week Wednesday when armed robbers made off with an estimated $17 million. He was fatally shot near the Trincity Industrial Estate on the Churchill-Roosevelt Highway.
Speaking to mourners yesterday at Clarke's funeral at the Faith Assembly International, Five Rivers, Arouca, Hackett, who was emotional during his address, said: "When the attack took place, Bert sacrificed his life."Describing what happened in the ambush, he said: "At first they thought it was an accident and Bert was concerned about who crashed into him and if anyone was injured."But then, Hackett said, men with sophisticated weapons emptied 50 rounds of ammunition at the van.
"The driver cried out to his senior officer (Clarke), 'ASP, I dead,' and Bert threw himself on the driver and in the process was shot in the head. The driver said 'supe (Hackett), Bertie saved my life," he added.Hackett said the driver was concerned that Clarke never liked him because "he was always on his case" but after the incident that changed.Of his own reaction, he said: "After I heard the news I did not want to accept this. Bertie was a person everybody believed in."
A former soldier and friend of Clarke's, Doddridge Jack, described the robbery as a "planned clinical execution. Say prayers that whoever did this will be brought to justice. It is only fair. Vengeance belongs to God," he added.Eulogies were given by his children Suszanna and Rondell Clarke and Vernessar Arianna Cummings.They said Clarke was loyal, courageous unto death and their personal hero.
"He would do anything for anybody, even a stranger. These people who put us in this position would have been someone he even helped," said Rondell.He said his father made sacrifices by working very diligently and believed crime could be eradicated by an honest day's work and there was no such thing as a small salary.Members of the Defence Force, Fire Services, Air Guard, Police Service, Amalgamated Security and staff from Sentinel Security Services attended the service.
The homily was delivered by Bishop Carl St Rose who told mourners Clarke had left a legacy to follow.Clarke was laid to rest at the D'Abadie public cemetery.
