Men deny link With I’Akobi Maloney
CORONER Faith Marshall-Harris said she summoned two employees at the Arawak Cement Plant to give evidence at the inquest into the death of I’Akobi Maloney because she had been receiving anonymous reports that they were involved in a relationship with the deceased.
Process engineers James Walker and Jason Collymore both gave police statements denying that they were involved in a homosexual relationship with the 23-year-old scholar who police say jumped over a cliff to his death on June 17 last year.
Yesterday after they gave their testimony, attorney for the Maloney family, Andrew Pilgrim, queried why the two men were summoned, saying that their evidence introduced something of which “we have no confirmation or denial.”
But the coroner said it was the most she could do amidst rumours and anonymous letters that she had received.
“The two statements are based on allegations which were made but since we were unable to get those persons who are making these allegations, which are fairly widespread, we thought that the best thing to do was to bring the two persons who were involved.
“Since it is two persons denying, it is the most justice can do in the situation. One of the things a coroner can do is dispel a rumour,” she said.
“The best that I can do in the circumstance is to bring the persons involved to deny their involvement,” she stated.
Tags: Andrew Pilgrim, anonymous letters, Arawak Cement Plant, Faith Marshall-Harris, homosexual relationship, James Walker, Jason Collymore, rumours