Man charged with murder seven years after Cletus Hippolyte disappeared

Responding to the charge, one of Hippolyte’s daughters told Jam Radio:

"After 7 years, finally someone has been charged and I pray that the truth come to light and justice will prevail. Our family needs closure."

A January 2025 Saint Lucia High Court listing names Cletus Hippolyte as the complainant and Kiril Pelham Didier, the man now charged with his murder, as the defendant in an earlier criminal case (SLUCRD2019/0769). The listing records an allegation of using false documents on 30 May 2019. The case was listed for a case management hearing on 26 September 2025. Jam Radio found no published outcome in the earlier case. The public records reviewed do not establish a link between that allegation and the murder charge.

In the days after Hippolyte went missing, relatives told MBC Television that Hippolyte was last seen in the Gros Islet area on 27 September 2019. A year later, the station spoke to two of his daughters in Britain, who said they had sought help from British authorities. Saint Lucia police say the disappearance prompted extensive searches over the years.

In Britain, Hippolyte performed as Sir Washington before forming The Hippolytes with his son Keith and daughters Marie and Sharon. Music Week reported in 1977 that the family group had toured with Billy Ocean and the Chi-Lites. He set up Top Deck to release the group’s music and handle other acts. The label issued their singles “Voodoo Magic” and “Don’t Make Promises You Can’t Keep”.

Hippolyte’s family has ties to Britain. In 2024, the South London Press reported that his daughter Jeanell had brought a High Court challenge over the refusal of leave to remain under the Windrush Scheme. The report noted her father’s arrival in Britain in 1956 and his career as a musician.

Saint Lucia police have asked anyone with information about Hippolyte’s disappearance to contact their nearest police station.