Cops’ arrests delayed
The police say that February 5 is the most “convenient” day to carry out Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Kent Pantry’s January 16 order to arrest and charge three of their colleagues with the alleged murder of a Bull Bay man three years ago.
Since the ruling, the three cops have been reporting to work as usual. Two are stationed at the Elletson Road Police Station, while the third works from the Bull Bay Police Station.
But Superintendent Ezra Stewart of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), in explaining the reason for the delay in carrying out the DPP’s order, said that “taking all factors into consideration, that’s a convenient date to effect the arrests”. He did not elaborate.
“They will be arrested on warrants on February 5 and taken before the court immediately,” Stewart told the Observer.
Pantry’s arrest order follows the 1999 shooting death of Noel Barnes of Bull Bay, who the police alleged was shot during a confrontation in Bull Bay with a police party from the Elletson Road station. The police said they took a .357 magnum and a shotgun from his body.
However, police sources said Pantry based his ruling on the evidence that Barnes’ body had multiple bullet wounds, which did not support the police report that a shoot-out had taken place.
But the three policemen apparently have the support of Bull Bay residents who claimed that Barnes was a “terrorist”.
In fact, the Bull Bay Citizens Association and Neighbourhood Watch groups have pledged to help the accused policemen defray their attorneys’ costs through special fund-raising efforts. They put forward this offer recently during a meeting with head of the East Kingston police division, Superintendent Arthis Brown-Getten.
After news had circulated that the policemen were to be arrested, approximately 500 persons protested the ruling by staging a six-hour demonstration at Nine Miles, Bull Bay. The residents blocked the road with old cars, refrigerators, tree trunks, stones and other debris.
Demanding that the charges against the three be dropped, the protesters insisted that Barnes was a terrorist and was killed in an effort to protect the community.
The police told the Observer that Barnes was suspected of involvement in close to 40 murders in the Elletson Road and Bull Bay areas of East Kingston.
In addition, the police claimed that Barnes, who was wanted on over 30 warrants for crimes including murder, shooting, illegal possession of firearm and robberies, had eluded them for seven years.
They also alleged that a few hours before Barnes was killed, he had held up a man in Bull Bay at gunpoint and demanded money. The man, a licensed firearm holder, reportedly shot Barnes in the chest.
Barnes, they said, ran from the scene and the police later found him by following a trail of blood which led into the bushes. According to the police, as they approached, Barnes began firing at them and they returned the fire.
During the exchange, Barnes was shot and the guns taken from him, the police said.
A 14-year-old schoolboy was also killed in the crossfire and, according to the police, it could not be determined whose gun fired the fatal shot.
Citizens protested the killing of the schoolboy and Police Commissioner Francis Forbes ordered the Bureau of Special Investigations to investigate the matter.
Statements were collected and submitted to the DPP who ruled that the policemen be arrested and charged with murder.