AfriKa CRY BLOOD

by Barry Alleyne

THE ROYAL BARBADOS POLICE FORCE has started an official investigation into the behaviour of the Maloney family after a controversial verdict last month by Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris.

Emotions ran high in the courtyard on April 24 after the coroner deemed that the former Barbados Exhibition winner I’Akobi Maloney had died by misadventure at Landlock, St Lucy, last June 17, the same day he resigned from his job as an engineer at the Arawak Cement Plant.

Verbal Insults

Members of the family, along with members of the Rastafarian community, were on hand for the verdict, and a number of verbal insults and threats were allegedly hurled at police on duty in the courtyard.

Sergeant Wingrove Headley, one of the two policemen who were on duty when Maloney died, and who testified that Maloney ran from them and jumped off a 50-foot cliff to his death, was also in the courtyard and was allegedly the subject of insults and threats.

A reliable source informed the WEEKEND NATION that all the police on duty within the confines of the courtyard that day have been required to give official statements to a superior officer, in an effort to determine if any members of the Maloney family, or the Rastafarian community, went too far with their verbal outrage and, in so doing, broke the law.

“We are doing an investigation. I would rather not comment any further,” said Assistant Superintendent Curvan Harvey yesterday, the man in charge of the investigation.

Maloney’s legal team said yesterday the news of such an investigation was disturbing.

The family’s attorney-at-law David Comissiong said: “The family’s legal team has not been informed of any investigation into its [the family's] actions, but should it be so, that would be very unfortunate.”

Comissiong said emotions were very raw that day and the environment very charged.

Heart-rending

“The responses of the family, as expected, were heart-rending. One would have anticipated the police would have had the maturity to understand the situation and empathise with family members,” he added.

Comissiong said the decision to investigate the matter further was surprising since Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin had “offered an olive branch” to the Rastafarian community, saying he was willing to meet with them.

by Phillipe Aimey

APOLOGISE!

That’s what members of the Rastafarian community want the Royal Barbados Police Force to do before there is any meeting between the two bodies to discuss a long list of issues.

This was only one of the conditions outlined by the Justice Committee at a Press conference held at the I’Akobi Youth Resource Centre, Tweedside Road, St Michael, yesterday.

It was called to respond to Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin’s invitation to meet and discuss the issue of “Rasta profiling”. (more…)

by TIM SLINGER

Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin

COMMISSIONER OF POLICE Darwin Dottin says he’s willing to meet with the Rastafarian community to discuss any problems the group might be facing.

But he wants them and Barbados alike to know that the Royal Barbados Police Force does not engage in singling out any particular group, regardless of race, colour or creed.

“I want to state categorically that the Police Force does not enforce the law by targeting any groups. We carry out our duties without fear or favour and with sensitivity,” Dottin told the SUNDAY SUN yesterday.

He was reacting to charges from the Rastafarian community that dreadlocked I’Akobi Maloney met his death through police profiling.

On Friday, Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris in ruling that the 23-year-old Barbados Exhibition winner’s death was by misadventure, urged the force to look closely at its relationship with the Rastafarian community, saying there was a high level of mistrust.

To this end, Dottin said the force was willing to meet with the community to discuss any issues of concern. (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)

by Phillippe Aimey (www.nationnews.com)

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…)

Audio courtesy Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation.

by PEP (www.nationnews.com)

THE PEOPLE’S EMPOWERMENT PARTY (PEP) is calling upon Commissioner of Police Darwin Dottin and Attorney-General Freundel Stuart to carry out an independent investigation into the “mysterious” death of 23-year-old I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney, by bringing in police investigators from a jurisdiction outside of Barbados to take charge of the probe.

I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney, a young man of impeccable reputation, died on June 17 at Landlocks, near Cove Bay, St Lucy, while in the presence and custody of several officers of the Royal Barbados Police Force. Spokespersons of the force have since alleged that police officers had interviewed Mr Maloney, before he suddenly and inexplicably ran and jumped off a cliff to his death.

Where a death has occurred in such circumstances, (more…)

by Philippe Aimey (www.nationnews.com)

The committee set up on June 30, states on its website that it intends to clear the name of Maloney from any involvement with drugs, among a wider mandate that deals with the right of Rastafari people.

There is also a petition on the committee’s website, which can be signed online, or tributes sent in.

Yesterday, in Bridgetown, under the watchful eye of police, family and friends of Maloney marched with placards to raise public awareness. (more…)