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.
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. (more…)
POLICE OFFICERS searched the Coroner’s Court yesterday as well as persons entering the courtroom, following reports that a verbal threat was made against Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris.
The court resumed its investigation into the death of I’Akobi Maloney yesterday.
It took a 15-minute break just after noon but before Marshall-Harris could return to the to the bench, a constable asked everyone to leave the court before he and a female police officer proceeded to carry out a search inside the courtroom.
The two officers then began frisking everyone entering the court. (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…)
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…)
THE FAMILY of the late I’Akobi Maloney has secured an attorney.
Maggie Maloney, mother of I’Akobi, who said she had been having difficulty securing a lawyer, has retained the services of attorney-at-law Andrew Pilgrim. The family has been voicing concerns over the circumstances surrounding the death of their loved one who was a former Barbados Exhibition winner.
“I always bring each case close to home, no one or institution is untouchable and we will be pursuing every available channel until this matter is taken seriously,” said Pilgrim in an exclusive interview with the DAILY NATION. (more…)
Emancipation Day celebrations at Bailey’s Plantation took on even greater significance for many Barbadians, some still grieving the untimely death of a promising young Barbadian and member of the local Rastafarian community.
There was a strong presence from the Justice Committee formed in the wake of the recent passing of I’Akobi Tacuma Hembadoon Maloney, and many other Barbadians braved persistent showers to show solidarity with the principles of emancipation. (more…)
THE ROYAL BARBADOS POLICE FORCE is clearing the air concerning the death of I’Akobi Maloney.
The force issued a Press release on Wednesday stating: “A number of articles, attributed to various authors, have been appearing in the Press, in which some issues have been raised following the death of I’Akobi Tacuma Hembadoon Maloney.
“The police would wish to take the opportunity to clarify certain misconceptions that may have been perceived following this tragedy.”
The 23-year-old Maloney died June 17 at The Land Lock, Cove Bay, St Lucy, and police reports were that he jumped to his death from a cliff there.
But there have been persistent calls for an independent investigation into Maloney’s death and last week his family queried the condition of the contents of a bag returned to them. (more…)
DESPITE the police’s promise of a thorough investigation, a lobby group will be pressing ahead with further demonstrations today to protest the death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney.
The Justice Committee, which comprises a number of Rastafarian groups, plans to publicly highlight its concerns during today’s Emancipation Day activities.
The committee will be joining the rest of the nation on the official march from Independence Square to Bay Street, following which the committee’s members will also make their statement during celebrations organised by the Clement Payne Centre at Bayley’s Plantation in St Philip.
In a statement released yesterday, the committee said: “We are very disappointed and distressed with the recent police reports related to the I’Akobi Maloney case. As a result, we are taking this to the streets in an effort to raise public awareness about this matter as we seek justice.”
The statement further stated: “We demand a fair investigation and trial and we also demand elimination of the scourge of Rastafari profiling and victimisation.” (more…)
THE MYSTERY surrounding the death of I’Akobi Maloney at Cove Bay, St Lucy, on June 17, has deepened with the return of his haversack to his mother.
Police returned Maloney’s bag to his mother Maggie Maloney last week, and she had serious issues with its condition and its contents.
“The police statement that they released clearly states that he jumped with clothes on and his haversack on his back.
“If that is the case, and the cause of death they gave was drowning, then everything in the bag should be water damaged. The bag and its contents are dry – no sea-salt, the papers in it are not mildewed, not sticking together, just dry,” said Maloney. (more…)
FULL SUSPENSION pending the outcome of an independent investigation.
That is what the newly-formed Justice Committee is requesting for those police officers who were present at the scene of I’Akobi Maloney’s death.
Maloney met his death at Cove Bay, Landlock, St Lucy on June 17.
In a statement released yesterday, the committee highlighted various demands regarding the investigation being carried out by the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF).
One demand was that the police (peace) officers “who were present at the scene at the time of the death of the late Ras Tacuma [Maloney] be immediately relieved of their duties [paid suspension] . . . since this is reasonable, procedurally fair and proactively preventing the obstruction of justice”.
Another demand was “an independent and transparent investigation be conducted by an unbiased team of regional or private investigators”. (more…)
THE DEATH OF I’AKOBI TACUMA MALONEY was raised twice in the House of Parliament on Wednesday when the Budget Debate continued.
Concern came from both sides of the House, with Opposition MP Hamilton Lashley and Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Care, Patrick Todd, commenting on the death of the former Arawak Cement Plant engineer.
Lashley again wore a scarf with the Rastafari colours of red, gold and green in memory of Maloney and during his 30-minute address, said he was dedicating the three Budget days to the 23-year-old who he said “disappeared from life in mysterious circumstances”.
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…)
“THERE’S ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE to suggest any foul play in the death of I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney.”
That’s the word from police crime chief Assistant Commissioner of Police Seymour Cumberbatch, who also disclosed that investigations suggested that the 23-year-old man was going through a state of depression when he reportedly ran and jumped off a cliff at The Land Lock, Cove Bay, St Lucy, on June 17. (more…)
A SENIOR PARLIAMENTARIAN is calling for an inquiry into the death of 23-year-old I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney, who allegedly jumped off a cliff at Land Locks, near Cove Bay, St Lucy, two weeks ago.
Hamilton Lashley, Member of Parliament for St Michael South East, told the WEEKEND NATION he would be using all his powers as an MP to get to the bottom of the issue.
“I’m calling for an urgent investigation by the Commissioner of Police and I’m hoping the Attorney-General will use his office to investigate the death of this young man,” he stated. (more…)
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.
