This was the plea yesterday at the I’Akobi Youth Resource Centre in Tweedside Road as the Justice Committee formed to promote, protect and defend the late Ras Tacuma I’Akobi Maloney’s case, met with various media houses to publicise the status of Maloney’s case.
Tacuma, whose demise at Landlock, St. Lucy on June 17th was met with much controversy, was represented by Committee members KudosSage I (Secretary of the Justice Committee), Brother Heru (Director of I’Akobi Youth Resource Centre and member of the Justice Committee) as well as Ras Lumumba (Priest of Church of Haile Selassie I), and Tacuma’s brother Mandela Maloney. Also present was the mother of I’Akobi and other Rastafari Elders. (more…)
MERE DAYS before the Coroner’s inquest into the death of former Barbados Exhibition winner I’Akobi Maloney , the Justice Committee has upped the ante in its fight to get an independent investigation.
Clearly stating it was not questioning the office of the Coroner, members of the committee said they specifically believed the information that would be analysed during the November 10 inquest should come from an independent body outside of the Royal Barbados Police Force.
Speaking during a Press conference at the I’Akobi Youth Resource Centre, Tweedside Road, St Michael, secretary of the Justice Committee, Ras KudosSage I, said 5200 signatures had been submitted to both the office of Prime Minister David Thompson and Attorney-General Freundel Stuart on Wednesday, citing the independent investigation as critical if justice was to be achieved. (more…)
Secretary of the Justice Committee, Ras KudosSage I, called for an independent investigation to be conducted into the death of former Barbados Exhibition winner and Engineer, I’Akobi Maloney.
He lauded the late Rastafarian as a man of exemplary character and moral standing. He says the Committee will resist any attempt to vilify Maloney’s character and his adherence to standards of excellence.
He made the call at a news conference at the I’Akobi Youth Resource Centre at Carrington Village in St. Michael. (more…)
AT LEAST 25 witnesses will be called during the November 10 inquest into the death of I’Akobi Maloney.
Maloney’s death is one of two fatal incidents grabbing national attention that will be heard by the Coroner’s Court next month.
The other is the July 29, 2007 Joes River bus tragedy which will begin on November 17.
In Maloney’s case Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris is set to examine the deceased’s close relatives and his former co-workers at the Arawak Cement Plant and other witnesses deemed necessary by court as it probes the circumstances leading to the death. (more…)
ATTORNEY-GENERAL Freundel Stuart says he will not do anything to undermine public confidence in the police force or the coroner.
He said he had “faith” in the Coroner’s Office which would begin its inquest into the death of I’Akobi Maloney on November 10.
Stuart, who was speaking during a $10 million resolution that would go towards some finishing touches for the Judicial Centre on Whitepark Road, made his position clear yesterday in the House of Assembly after the issue of the relationship between the police and the community was raised by the Member of Parliament for St Michael South-East, Hamilton Lashley. (more…)
ACCORDING TO A REPORT in THENATION newspaper last Wednesday, Attorney-General Freundel Stuart cavalierly dismissed the People’s Empowerment Party’s call for an effort to be made to stage a demonstrably “independent” investigation into the death of I’Akobi Maloney by quipping: “Mr Comissiong was not down there [at the St Lucy scene of the death] as far as I am aware, and none of the people who are shouting were down there.”
Mr Stuart then proceeded to state that he had received a written report from the police on Maloney’s death; that there was “no recording of anything out of the ordinary” in the report; and that the normal course of events would follow, with the usual Coroner’s Inquest being held.
The PEP is disheartened that our new attorney-general is seemingly unwilling to think “outside of the box”, and to reach for the substance of justice, rather than its mere form. (more…)
THE POLICE FILE on the death of I’Akobi Maloney is now in the hands of the coroner.
Commissioner Darwin Dottin told the SUNDAY SUN,yesterday, that the probe into the 23-year-old man’s death had been completed and sent to the Coroner, Magistrate Faith Marshall-Harris.
Earlier this month, attorney Andrew Pilgrim, who has been retained by Maloney’s family, said he was not satisfied with the progress into the young man’s death and called for an independent body to handle any information regarding the case.
Maloney, a former Exhibition winner, died on June 17 at Landlock, Cove Bay, St Lucy. Police reports indicated he jumped to his death from a cliff but Maloney’s family has expressed doubt about those reports. (TS)
ATTORNEY ANDREW PILGRIM is still not satisfied with the progress being made in the I’Akobi Maloney investigation.
Speaking to the DAILY NATION yesterday, Pilgrim said although the police had submitted a report to the Attorney-General, an independent body still should be summoned to handle any information regarding the case.
“It is all well and good to say that you have received this report from the police officers but all right-thinking members of any community must recognise that if one group of people do something which is called into question, these people cannot judge themselves.” (more…)
GOVERNMENT has received a special report from the Royal Barbados Police Force regarding I’Akobi Maloney’s death.
But Attorney-General Freundel Stuart isn’t rushing to judgment on the former Exhibition winner’s death on June 17 at Landlock, St Lucy.
A justice committee formed to protest the police’s report, as well as the People’s Empowerment Party’s president David Comissiong, issued statements in July calling on the Commissioner of Police to suspend the officers until the investigation was complete.
“That is not normal procedure. You can only do that if the findings reveal that they would have acted improperly . . . if there is evidence to prove it. Mr Comissiong was not down there as far as I am aware, and none of the people who are shouting were down there,” Stuart told the DAILY NATION. (more…)
A MOTHER WHOSE SON was shot and killed by the police two years ago is advising the Maloney family to ask for police from outside to investigate what happened to I’Akobi Maloney, who died in the presence of police officers near Cove Bay, St Lucy, last month.
Joycelyn Ellis, who knew the 23 year-old Maloney and also attended his funeral, said his death brought back memories of her son’s.
“I went to I’Akobi’s family and I told them not to accept what the police are telling them because it will come to the same thing as my son if they don’t do something. I tell them to bring in somebody from outside because when my son died the police told me all kinds of things.” (more…)
INVESTIGATIONS have begun into the death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney.
There has been growing concern from the public regarding circumstances of death, since he allegedly jumped from a cliff at Landlock, Cove Bay, St. Lucy on June 17.
Police released a statement yesterday stating that they had taken note of articles in the WEEKEND NATION and SUNDAY SUN attributed to persons speaking to the Press concerning the circumstances surrounding Maloney’s death.
“We wish to advise members of the public that in all cases of unnatural death an investigation is carried out into the circumstances leading to the death, and also that a coroner’s inquiry is conducted following the same investigation.” (more…)
