AfriKa CRY BLOOD

The Coroner’s Inquest into the death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney begins today in the Coroner’s Court, Roebuck Street, St Michael.

Maloney died June 17 at Landlock, St Lucy, where, police have stated, the former engineer jumped to his death. The police have denied they had any physical contact with him.

Since then there has been much concern from the public and Maloney’s family surrounding the circumstances of the former Barbados Exhibition winner’s death, with his family citing what they said were numerous inconsistencies in the police account of what happened on the day of the incident. (more…)

by Philippe Aimey (www.nationnews.com)

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…)

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…)

by People’s Empowerment Party

ACCORDING TO A REPORT in THE NATION 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…)

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…)

by Phillippe Aimey (www.nationnews.com)

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…)

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…)