Holness

Member of Parliament for West Central St. Andrew, Andrew Holness, is pleading with the police to operate within the boundaries of the law when they venture into his constituency.

Mr. Holness noted that there have been at least eight 'suspicious' killings since 2004 in the Molynes, Seivwright and Olympic Gardens areas of the constituency.

"That trend is worrying to me," said Mr. Holness.

"In all instances, the police claim (the men) either had firearms on them, shot at them or were in a shoot-out," he said.

In all eight incidents, Mr. Holness said, witnesses have come forward with 'credible' statements which question the killings.

On Thursday morning, Jermaine 'Askel' Brown, 20, was allegedly killed by the police. The police said Brown was killed in a shoot-out on Calladium Crescent, Olympic Gardens.

The Constabulary Communication Network stated that an AK-47 assault rifle with three 7.62 cartridges were taken off Brown's body by the police.

However, Mr. Holness has claimed that based on eyewitnesses, Brown was not killed in a shoot-out.

"The police are behaving like they are judge, juror and executioners," said Holness.

"I am not battering the police as I have put my own credibility on the line to say to the people of these areas to work and cooperate with the police. But this is driving a wedge between the support the police are getting from the people," he added.

Incident under investigation

Meanwhile, Superintendent Derrick Knight, who is in charge of the South St. Andrew Division, has said that yesterday's incident is under investigation.

"It is very unfortunate for Mr. Holness to be making a statement like this at this time. He came to the station and same time I called Acting Assistant Commissioner Granville Gause, who came to the station with a team of investigators, and investigations immediately commenced in that matter," said Supt. Knight.

Supt. Knight also said that all incidents mentioned by Mr. Holness were being investigated.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com