AfriKa CRY BLOOD

by PCA (www.nationnews.com)

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…)

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…)

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…)

Rastafari Community of Barbados
July 2008

In pursuit of social justice and the elimination of further Rastafari profiling, we, the Rastafari Community of Barbados, clearly publish the following demands and collective interests: (more…)

by PCA (www.nationnews.com)

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…)