MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A Manchester taxi operator was on Thursday offered bail in the sum of $500,000 after being charged with murder following the mob killing of 62-year-old Chieftin Campbell on May 6 in Mandeville.

The taxi operator, Orlando Powell, who made his first court appearance on Thursday, is said to have mistakenly identified Campbell as a thief.

Campbell, who was described as a well-respected citizen and dedicated community member of Victoria Town in southern Manchester, died after a mob beat him on lower Manchester Road.

Head of the Manchester police, Superintendent Lloyd Darby, told journalists on Thursday that a post -mortem showed that Campbell’s death resulted from blunt force trauma.“As a result, we took into custody one individual who we had camera footage as being involved. He [Powell] has since been charged with murder and he is before court,” said Darby.

He reiterated his call for the public to refrain from mob attacks.

“We just want to take the opportunity to remind people that whenever there is any matter that comes before them that they believe that justice needs to be done that they should leave it to the police, contact the police, and let the police deal with it,” added Darby.

Campbell died days before his wedding, which was planned for May 12 at a resort in Trelawny.

Residents of Victoria Town had protested Campbell’s death last month by using debris and downed trees to block sections of the main road in their community.

Attorney-at-law Oswest Senior-Smith has been retained by Campbell’s family to monitor the probe by the police and represent the family’s interest.

Relatives are planning to bid farewell to Campbell in a thanksgiving service on June 25.

– Kasey Williams