By LISA S. KING

FN Asst. Editor

lisa@nasguard.com

LAMBERT BOWE

As police continue their investigations into the tragic murder of 38-year-old businessman Lambert Bowe, some of his close family and friends remember him as an ambitious young man who endeavored to live a godly life.

Bowe was recorded as the island's sixth homicide for 2007 after his lifeless body was discovered with multiple stab wounds in his tyre shop on Saturday.

Chief Superintendent Basil Rahming, police press liaison officer, said Central Detective Unit officers have since arrested a suspect, who is presently assisting them with their investigations into this latest homicide, but there is no known motive at this time.

Rahming said that at 11:00 a.m. on that fateful day, police received a call prompting mobile patrol officers to go to the local business place on Forest Avenue off Yellow Pine Street.

Bowe, a resident of Canaby Terrace, Fortune Bay Drive, the owner and operator of Lebco Tyre Shop, was lying in a pool of blood when investigators arrived.

Bowe's sister, Stacia Williams, said her brother was a quiet sweet-natured person who never bothered anyone. Lambert, she said, was a big dreamer and came to Freeport with big ideas of building a business for himself.

Because most of his family lived in New Providence, she said there was always a concern about him living in Grand Bahama by himself. But he loved Freeport, she added, and getting him to change his mind or leave was something the family knew would never happen.

Williams said they were very close and anytime he needed advice, he would call her. "He was a dreamer," she said. "He would always have these big plans for getting into different types of business."

She noted that he had a great love for airplanes and constantly shared his desire to fly planes.

Bowe leaves behind two sons, a two-year-old and a 10-year-old. According to Williams, he was a wonderful father who loved his children very much. In fact, she said the oldest son loved his father so much that he believed whatever he told him.

"One time his son was doing a play and his daddy told him that he could be the best in whatever he wanted to be," she said. "Do you know his son said 'my daddy told me that I could be the Prime Minister if I wanted to be and I believe him.'"

Williams said their mother Rev. Edris Bowe of Salem Baptist Church in New Providence is taking the news in stride and is confident that God will bring them through.

She said a memorial service will be held on Wednesday at the Universal Household of Faith, after which , the family will take her brother's body back to New Providence to be buried.

Initial reports suggest that Bowe was at the shop when two males arrived there looking for him. Shortly after the two men left, Bowe was discovered lying on the floor of a storeroom inside the shop, fully clothed with multiple stab wounds to the head, neck and upper back.

An employee, who was on the premises when the incident occurred, immediately notified police, who arrived on the scene moments later. The body was removed from the scene and taken to the Rand Memorial Hospital.

The Police Department is appealing to the public to call 350-3107, 3529774/5 or 911 with any information that would assist the police in bringing a speedy closure to this incident.

Conrad Maycock, adopted brother and best friend, said Bowe was closer to him than a brother and considered him a dear friend who was always there to help him.

Stating that words could never describe the hurt in his heart, Maycock said they met in September 1983 and have been together as best buddies from then. Even though they are not related by blood, he said they lived as family.

"He was the kind of person who always looked out for you," Maycock said. "He always had my back and was always there to talk to me and to give me good counselling.

"He never took sides in any situation, he would always listen carefully and then give you good, positive advice."

Maycock said what he remembers most about his best friend is his commitment to living a godly life. He added that Bowe was always trying to convince him to change his life and follow Christ like he did.

"He was a good Christian man, who was always trying to get me to go church," he said. "Even though we were a little opposite in that aspect of our lives, I respected him for his belief in living a wholesome and upstanding life."

Maycock said Bowe was a strong and aggressive businessman, who was always pursuing some new concept about improving his business or ways to get into other businesses he believed would be good ventures to make more money.

"He was not someone who would sit down and wonder about an idea," he said. "He was a person who was always busy trying to bring that idea to reality. He was a real go-getter, all that I can say right now is that I really miss him."