Lead Stories

Mark Beckford, Staff Reporter

Leighton Coke, the brother of Jamaica's number one fugitive Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, turned himself in to the police yesterday evening at about 6:30, making his surrender the biggest capture since the west Kingston incursion.

The brother of the alleged gangster was accompanied by the Reverend Al Miller to the Half-Way Tree Police Station in St Andrew.

Leighton, who is otherwise called 'Livity', was named among a list of gang leaders the police had asked to surrender following the massive operation to nab his brother.

Before this call, Leighton was not wanted on any charge by the police.

Miller, who was contacted by Leighton's family and then made the necessary arrangements, told The Gleaner last night that the nation should give young men a chance to reform their lives before bringing down the "axe" on them.

"We need to be creating an environment where we give people an opportunity to change. We have a system and a culture where we breed young men and women and allow them to turn to the guns. We must also give them an opportunity to turn away," he said.

Root problems

With the call for expanding the state of emergency coming from several sectors of society, Miller said Jamaicans should recognise that many social problems had systemic roots.

Miller, pastor of Fellowship Tabernacle and one of Jamaica's most prominent clergymen, also praised the police who, he said, treated Coke with "extreme professionalism".

"The police treated him extremely well and with respect and I expect them to continue this treatment," he told The Gleaner.

Miller also called on the target of the Tivoli offensive, 'Dudus', to turn himself in, telling him that his best chance at living was getting to the police first.

"I would encourage him that his life is valuable and I would encourage him to turn himself in and don't allow his life to be taken from him," he said.

mark.beckford@gleanerjm.com