ASP not bothered by like statements
THE POLICE INVESTIGATOR who carried out the investigations into the death of I’Akobi Maloney said yesterday he was not concerned that the statements of the two police officers who were with Maloney when he died, were identical.
Assistant Superintendent Curvan Harvey told the coroner’s inquest investigating the young man’s death that he was more concerned about the typographical errors contained in the statements.
At the time he was being questioned by Andrew Pilgrim who is representing the Maloney family.
Not urgent
Harvey said he received the two statements from Acting Sergeant Wingrove Headley and Constable Walkes two weeks after the incident. When questioned by Pilgrim about the length of time before he received the statements, Harvey said he considered it important but not urgent to get the statements.
He told the court both officers would have known that they would have to submit statements.
Asked if he noticed that the two statements were identical, the officer said he did, but he did not question the two policemen about the similarities.
Pilgrim suggested that the two men colluded, but Harvey replied: “When people prepare statements on the computer both of them, in my mind, would have to discuss their statements.”
He pointed out that he had spoken to the two officers on the night of the incident. He further recalled the two officers had informed him that Maloney told them he had taken a sea bath at Land Lock because he was under pressure. However, he could not recall if they indicated that Maloney’s boxer shorts were wet.
No scientific test
Harvey also admitted that he had not carried out any scientific examination of the firearms which were issued to the two cops, but he added that on the night of the incident both men returned all the rounds of ammunition issued to them and he had also examined the firearms and realised they had not been used.
He said that Headley returned 15 rounds while Walkes returned 12.
Pilgrim continued to question the officer about not carrying out a scientific examination of the firearms, asking him if he knew people were saying that the police killed Maloney.
Harvey admitted he had heard the rumours but stated that if he had any suspicions about the guns he would have had them tested.
Asked why he received some statements after the inquest had begun, the investigator explained that he was out of the country in September and had indicated that his investigation was incomplete, but when he returned the inquest had begun and he was not in possession of the file.
Questioned about Anthony Collymore, the resident who informed the police about seeing a boat in the area, Harvey said he also spoke to Collymore on the night of the incident.
Pilgrim asked if Harvey was aware that both Headley and Walkes said Collymore had approached them after Maloney allegedly jumped off the cliff and told them that he saw everything that had transpired.
Harvey said he was aware of this but that when he questioned Collymore, the man denied that he saw what happened.
He also stated that he found no witnesses who could support the two police officers’ statements.
Tags: ammunition, Andrew Pilgrim, Anthony Collymore, ASP, boxer shorts, Constable Wendell Walkes, Curvan Harvey, firearms, investigation, investigator, rumours