AfriKa CRY BLOOD

BY GERCINE CARTER

Attorney General Adriel Brathwaite has been urged to ensure that claims of abuse of power by the Royal Barbados Police Force are thoroughly investigated.

The force came in for a barrage of criticism from a cross section of Barbadians during the question and answer session following the Sir Winston Scott Memorial Lecture delivered by Dr Irene Khan, former secretary general of Amnesty International at the Frank Collymore Hall last Monday night.

Khan spoke on Why Freedom Matters: Challenges And Opportunities For Human Rights In The 21st Century.

Several members of the audience related personal stories, alleging abuse of power by police.

“There is a problem with the police being overzealous; they abuse their authority; there is no functioning Police Complaints Authority. There is a problem here with the police complaints process,” one man complained to the Amnesty official. (more…)

THE JUSTICE COMMITTEE, a lobby group fighting the cause of the late I’Akobi Tacuma Maloney, plans to take its case to the United Nations.

This was revealed Saturday night on the anniversary of the death of the 23-year-old Rastafarian of Hutson’s Alley, Reed Street, St Michael. Maloney died on June 17, 2008, at Land Lock in St Lucy.

The circumstances of his death were investigated by Coroner Faith Marshall-Harris who returned a verdict of misadventure.

Attorney at law David Comissiong, in his presentation at the anniversary celebrations at the Israel Lovell Foundation, My Lord’s Hill, St Michael, lauded the Justice Committee for its stance. (more…)

by PHILLIPPE AIMEY

The Justice Committee announced yesterday that it has accumulated more than 5,000 signatures in support of its call for an independent investigation into the death of former I’Akobi Maloney.

Assisting the lobby group was Independent parliamentarian Hamilton Lashley who gathered more than 500 signatures from residents in The Pine and Wildey areas which he represents in the House of Assembly.

Lashley handed over the signatures following his arrival at Parliament yesterday to loud cheers from over 30 of the lobby group’s members who adorned him with ‘red, gold and green’ scarf, similar to the one he wore during the budget debate in July.

“I want people to know that this is not just names on paper,” Lashley said, “it has value that lends support to one of the most serious matters in the history of Barbados. (more…)

by Phillippe Aimey (www.nationnews.com)

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…)

by PCA (www.nationnews.com)

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…)