Six T&T cops nabbed over Moruga shooting deaths

(Trinidad Express) Six police officers involved in the shooting deaths of three people in Moruga three months ago have been arrested by their colleagues in connection with the incident.

Best friends Abigail Johnson and Allana Duncan, along with construction worker Kerron “Fingers” Eccles, were shot dead by officers of the Southern Division CID and Robbery Squad on July 22.

The officers- five policemen and one policewoman who is the mother of a six- month-old baby—range between ages 24 and 35. One is a corporal while the others are constables.

A seventh officer, who was not at home when police showed up, was expected to surrender to police after he was told his colleagues had been detained. Up to late yesterday, however, the officer had not turned himself in to police.

The officers were held at their individual homes early yesterday as the investigation into the killings nears completion. The Express was reliably informed by police sources the killings were captured on a surveillance camera at a nearby residence. This video footage, which is in the hands of the investigators, revealed that the trio did not open fire on the officers who claimed they were fired upon.

Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard, in a statement to the Express yesterday, dismissed reports the officers were expected to be charged with the murders of Johnson, Duncan and Eccles.

He, however, stated that he has been in touch with the investigators in the matter and will soon make a determination after fully reviewing the file. “I have met with and I have been advising the police in this matter. I don’t know anything about the ‘expectation’ of (murder) charges. At the appropriate time I will dispassionately evaluate the contents of the file when the investigation has been completed. To suggest otherwise, is to engage in prejudgment (and) I can’t go there,” Gaspard said.

Head of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA), attorney Gillian Lucky, also confirmed that she had heard of the arrests but would make a full statement later today.

Lucky, who personally met with the relatives of the victims days after the incident, had been closely monitoring the police probe into the incident. She had promised the relatives that she would do all in her power to ensure there wasn’t a police cover up in the incident.

Lucky said, “I was made aware this (yesterday) morning that there were certain developments in the matter involving the killings in Moruga. As a result, I have asked that certain matters be clarified and I will be in a position to give a statement to the public tomorrow (today).”

Director of the Public Affairs Unit in the Police Service, Sharon Lee Assang, when questioned on the matter at yesterday’s daily briefing, said she wasn’t aware that officers had been arrested.

Told that the arrests had been broadcast on various news channel, and that journalists felt that when police officers are accused of crimes, the information is not disclosed to the public by the unit, Lee Assang said such information is not sent to the unit. She however promised to get information on the arrested police officers.

“I’m really surprised that we don’t have that information (and) we really have to find out why… I am speaking in general and I am speaking specific because if we are to continue to provide that information we need to be given it.” “The mandate of the Public Affairs Unit is really to provide information on positive developments taking place within the service as well as to educate and inform the national community with regard to protect themselves. It’s really an avenue of communication,” Lee Assang said.

Lee Assang did fulfil her promise and later issued a press statement confirming that the officers had been arrested by a team of officers led by Assistant Commis-sioner Police (ACP), Raymond Craig of the Professional Standards Unit of the Police Service.