The relatives of a man who was shot and killed by gunmen this year are hoping that the men who are guilty of the crime will be caught.

According to the relatives, the deceased was a law-abiding citizen and had never done harm to anyone. They said it was difficult for them to understand why someone would want to hurt such a kind and loving person.

"It is not because it is my relative that I say he was a very good person, but the truth is he has not been involved in any bad company and had been a very hard-working person," one of the relatives said.

"My cousin died leaving his two young children and while others are busy celebrating this festive season, it is going to be a bleak one for us because we will never get over his tragic death," another relative said.

"Every day, we hear over the news about the whole heap of crime taking place in Jamaica, and it pains my heart to hear about them,'' says the brother of the deceased.

"Sometimes it is only when the crime hits close to home to you that you really realise how painful it is," he added.

"My brother was a good man who was on his way from work when he was shot dead. We do hope his killers will be caught. He was robbed of his money and I cannot understand why after robbing him they had to shoot him. I just cannot understand.

" There is one thing I would like the criminals to know and it is that they may get away killing innocent people, but one day their end will come.

"I do hope that the criminals who go around killing people will not beg for their lives when death faces them. It is my view that if you can take life, then you should not be a coward when your life is going to be taken.

"I know the police are working hard to solve the crime problem, but the criminals are so wicked. I don't know what is going to happen to this country if the gunmen do not put down their guns or drastic measures are taken to force them to put down the guns. Innocent people should not have to suffer the loss of their loved ones because of these wicked gunmen.

"I think it is now time for the government to resume hanging so the gunmen will know that, once they are convicted of murder, their lives will not be spared. or has hanging been abolished?" he asked.

Hanging has not been abolished and there are still certain categories of murder which attract the death penalty. The judges have been passing death sentences, but no hanging has taken place in Jamaica since 1988.