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Al 'blundered'

Published:Thursday | June 24, 2010 | 12:00 AM
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The Rev Al Miller (left) and his lawyers, Leslie Campbell (centre) and Wentworth Charles, have last-minute discussions outside the Organised Crime Investigation Division offices in downtown Kingston moments before Miller was quizzed by cops. - Norman Grindley/Chief Photographer
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Howard Campbell, Gleaner Writer

The Reverend Merrick 'Al' Miller has come under fire from church leaders for his involvement with fugitive Christopher 'Dudus' Coke, who was captured Tuesday by the police while travelling in the pastor's vehicle along the Mandela Highway.

The Rev Lenworth Anglin, executive chairman of the Church of God in Jamaica, told The Gleaner that Miller was a "close personal friend" of his for more than 30 years and that he was surprised on hearing about Miller's role in Coke's capture.

"I knew of him being involved with his (Coke's) brother and sister, but if what is reported, that he was heading to the US Em-bassy with him (Coke), that's inconsistent with the Al I know," Anglin said.

Miller played a pivotal role in Leighton 'Livity' Coke and Sandra Coke surrendering to the police, shortly after the bloody stand-off between the security forces and thugs in west Kingston last month.

Anglin said Miller seemed to have been the beneficiary of bad legal advice.

Clearly inappropriate

The Rev Peter Garth, vice-president of the Jamaica Association of Evangelicals, agreed, adding: "There is no doubt that he (Miller) blundered."

Garth said Miller should have contacted Police Commissioner Owen Ellington once he was approached by Dudus. He said the pastor breached security protocol by transporting a fugitive.

"I believe he meant well, but what he did was clearly inappropriate. He should have gone to the police," Garth stressed.

Bishop Herro Blair, member of the Peace Management Initiative, like Miller, went into Coke's Tivoli Gardens stronghold to convince him to surrender days before the May 24 military assault.

Though refusing to comment in detail on the Miller-Coke episode, he said: "We are praying for him (Miller) and hope everything works out."

Miller is pastor at Fellowship Tabernacle in St Andrew and is a household name in Jamaica. His folksy delivery has also made him popular among secular audiences.

On Tuesday, Miller told The Gleaner he had known Coke for just over one year. Coke is wanted in the United States on arms- and drug-trafficking charges.