(Trinidad Express) Cases of police killings from as far back as three years ago will soon be revisited.
This was revealed by Police Complaints Authority (PCA) director Gillian Lucky at media conference on Friday at the PCA’s Port of Spain headquarters.
When asked about numerous police killings in the previous years, Lucky said she has asked for the files on them.
Making reference to the killing of George ‘Ozzy’ Ashby, which occurred in 2009, Lucky said the matter is engaging her attention and, as such, she has been in contact with relatives of Ashby and has given them feedback.
Ashby, 52, an MTS worker, of San Pedro Road, Rio Claro, was shot dead by Rio Claro police officers on January 23, while plying his car on the Tabaquite Main Road. Police reports had stated officers were acting on information when they intercepted a car with two men and the men opened fire on them. Police say they fired back, killing Ashby, while the other man escaped.
Following Ashby’s death, residents blocked the roads and called for an immediate investigation.
Admitting several of the matters involving police killings have gone cold, Lucky said it will be within her discretion to look at cases beyond the year limitation.
The PCA Act caters for enquiries to be launched into matters which occur within a year, and anything after the year will be left up to the discretion of the director.
Noting that not all killings will be looked at, Lucky said for this to occur would be overly ambitious and she does not want to give the wrong impression.
“I have called for all the reports in these matters and when we get them, we will sift through them and see which ones we can deal with, and we will contact family members and give them an update,” Lucky said.
Adding that whenever police shootings result in death, police officers must make reports, Lucky said currently there are 175 complaints before the PCA and 141 capable of being investigated. The remaining 34, Lucky explained, involve officers who have matters before the courts and, as such, the PCA cannot start its enquiries.
Commenting on the Carnival Monday shooting death of schoolboy Commie Michael Torres, Lucky said the file containing the investigation is with Director of Public Prosecutions Roger Gaspard.
On the July 22 killings of Moruga residents Allana Duncan, Abigail Johnson and Kerron Eccles, at the hands of police officers, Lucky said: “The matter will be thoroughly investigated, fairly and independently because, at the end of the day, we all want justice. Justice meaning truth, truth meaning a determination of where the facts lie based on cogent, compelling and convincing evidence.”
