(Trinidad Express) PC Clarence Gilkes was killed by a police bullet.
And members of the Police Service (TTPS) abused their power and deliberately misled Acting Commissioner of Police (CoP) McDonald Jacob.
These are the findings of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) which has completed its investigation into the fatal shooting of Gilkes in Richplain, Diego Martin in April.
In a statement issued yesterday, the PCA said it concluded that “this incident is one of the clearest examples of abuse of police power that the PCA has investigated to date”.
According to the PCA, the evidence revealed that officers of the TTPS shot at an unarmed civilian and, unfortunately, PC Gilkes, 44, became an unintended target. Further evidence revealed that police officers deliberately misled Jacob on the events that transpired, the PCA said.
“The scientific evidence gathered by the PCA clearly demonstrates PC Gilkes was fatally shot by one of his fellow officers. However, before this evidence became apparent, the police officers informed the Ag CoP that an unarmed civilian would have shot PC Gilkes, which led to his death, and caused the police service to launch a manhunt in order to ‘deal with the persons responsible for this act’,” the release read.
The PCA said it has made recommendations to both the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the office of the Commissioner of Police.
Asked to elaborate on the news release yesterday, PCA Director David West said the PCA has submitted its dossier to both the DPP and Ag CoP for them to complete the investigative process.
He said one of the recommendations was to interview under caution certain police officers involved in the shooting death of Gilkes, adding that in this way the PCA would comply with the principles of natural justice and due process without delay.
“The PCA looks forward to the TTPS completing their investigation in a timely manner,” he added.
Attorney: PCA statement biased
In an immediate response to the release, attorney Ulric Skerritt, who is representing three of the officers under investigation, said the PCA statement reeked of biasness.
“I saw the PCA report and in our opinion, the PCA appears to have conducted a somewhat biased investigation. We say this because the PCA has not spoken to the three individuals I represent. So how could the PCA come to a conclusion that these men did what they did without interviewing these persons? How can the PCA say to the public that these three persons, these three officers, misled the commissioner without speaking to these men?
“Is it that the commissioner has taken a particular approach to this and made a statement to the PCA saying that these are the men who misled him? I find it passing strange that they (PCA) said they in fact completed an investigation, and put certain things in the public domain which will create certain impressions without once being fair to these officers by reaching out for their retort and asking a question,” Skerritt said.
He said the public should await the completion of the investigation which is ongoing into this incident by the TTPS before taking any official positions.
“In our opinion, it comes across like the PCA is on a public relations stunt and it is unfair to officers who are putting their lives on the line daily. These allegations are very serious. Because it is saying they abused their power, without giving them any opportunity to counter said position, and is therefore one of the clearest examples of abuse of police power that the PCA has investigated to date,” Skerritt said.
Meanwhile, Head of the TTPS Social and Welfare Association ASP Gideon Dickson told the Express yesterday he had been made aware of the PCA release, however, he noted that the TTPS’ investigations were still ongoing.
“It’s an unfortunate situation all around. I’m aware of the impacts that the PCA’s report and recommendations will have, however, I am also aware that the police are continuing their own investigations into this matter, and since it’s at such a sensitive stage I will reserve my comments at this juncture,” Dickson said.
