AS SCOTLAND Yard and local detectives wrap up their investigation of the controversial killing of four persons in Kraal, Clarendon, on May 7, more than 87 statements have been collected by the police.
The statements were given by scores of residents from the Kraal district in north central Clarendon and at least one policeman who is now being sheltered overseas, under the Witness Protection Programme.
Allegations are that Senior Supt. Reneto Adams and members of the former Crime Management Unit (CMU) had gone to the quiet farming village to apprehend gunmen who they said were in the district.
On the arrival of the CMU team, the police said, they were shot at and they fired back. When the dust cleared, two women and two men lay dead. The police said two illegal guns were found at scene.
Assistant Commissioner Osbourne Dyer told The Gleaner yesterday that the policemen who have been implicated in the controversial killings refused to be interviewed by Scotland Yard detectives, but they have already submitted written statements.
"The interviews were just to clear up certain ambiguities," said ACP Dyer.
The Gleaner understands that members of the investigating team got a letter from a lawyer representing the policemen, indicating that her clients would not be giving any interview.
The police said that SSP Adams and a corporal were scheduled to be interviewed on Tuesday, but they did turn up. Yesterday four other rank-and-file members were down to be interviewed, but they did not turn up either.
Asked what was the next step, ACP Dyer said the investigators would just go ahead and complete the file.
Reports are that the management committee assigned to oversee the investigations, has given the investigators a deadline of next week to send the file to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Families Against State Terrorism (FAST), the human rights lobby group, said that Police Commissioner Francis Forbes should insist that SSP Adams co-operate with the team of investigators if he intends to remain a police officer.
