‘I am not Kevin Smith’ - Car mart owner in fear as persons mistake him for deceased pastor

"He has risen" is just one of the dozens of comments that is posted under one of St Catherine businessman Homar Gayle's photos.

Since last Tuesday, the car mart owner said he is constantly harassed by persons who believe his resemblance to deceased pastor Kevin O. Smith is uncanny.

"Kevin Smith is dead and I am not his reincarnation. He is dead and some of these people are talking just looking a hype and, as Kevin Smith did say that everybody want a touch offa him, but nobody can't touch me. Today a Thursday and dem a say a Kevin resurrection day but I am Homar not Kevin Smith," he said.

Smith, who led the Pathways International Kingston Restoration Ministries in Montego Bay, St James was on Wednesday posthumously slapped with two counts of murder and conspiracy to commit murder. The charges stem from the killings of two of his congregants on Sunday, October 17. Smith, 39, died on Monday in a car crash in Linstead, St Catherine while being escorted by the police to Kingston.

While Gayle was being interviewed yesterday by the news team, he received several calls from persons who were enquiring about his well-being after photographs of him made the rounds on social media. He stated that, at first, he had made light of the matter but now said he is becoming somewhat fearful.

"I am now at the point where I have to hire three bodyguards because this is not funny anymore. From the man get arrested, is bare phone calls I am getting. I don't know why people is confusing me with him. Mi sick and tiad a dis now. Mi have to be walking around with three men," he said. "There are persons who call mi and was telling me I was Kevin even though I was telling them I wasn't. I got a call this week and the person tell mi that I shouldn't go down to Ochi or Montego Bay because people will kill mi. I have never met this man or look like him because Kevin shape bad and I look like Denzil Washington," he added.

As news of Smith's death circulated, some persons strongly believed that it was fake news. Smith had reportedly told his congregants that he was God, and some expected him to rise from the dead yesterday.

"Is about 50 people call mi since this man has been on the news. This morning (yesterday) I went to the bank and I had to go back outside because everyone was staring at me. People was asking if I was the pastor man. I had other business to do today and I have to just lock up in my car and send someone else to do it because I can't manage the harassment and unwanted attention," Gayle said.

He said even his personality is quite the opposite of Smith as he is a firm believer in the Almighty and doesn't partake in witchcraft and sorcery. He added that he has lost at least $5 million in sales since last Monday because of the identity mix-up.

"Mi nuh wah nobody come make nuh mistake and lick mi because mi fraid a lick. Lives were taken in Montego Bay and I have to protect myself and family because there are mad head people out there. I have a vehicle to pick up in Montego Bay from Wednesday and I was advised not to go," he said.