Charge Buckfield cops or release them by Aug 10 - judge

Carl Gilchrist, Gleaner Writer

St Ann Resident Magistrate Carolyn Tie has ruled that two of the policemen placed in detention following the shooting death of a man in Buckfield, Ocho Rios, last Thursday, must be charged by August 10 or released until the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) completes its investigations into the matter.

The policemen were arrested after video footage was aired on television showing 27-year-old Ian Lloyd, aka 'Chen-Singh', being beaten and apparently shot. Lloyd, who had been accused of killing Lovelita Wilson, subsequently died.

The ruling came in the St Ann's Bay RM Court yesterday after attorney-at-law for the two, Oswest Senior-Smith, filed a writ of habeas corpus on behalf of the sergeant and constable who have been in custody since last Saturday.

Constable instructed to hit

Senior-Smith also sought the immediate release of the constable in the matter, arguing that statements the constable gave to the MIT during an interview on Wednesday night at its offices in Kingston vindicated his client. The judge was not convinced.

In court yesterday, Assistant Commissioner of Police Les Green, who informed the court of the status of the investigations, admitted that the statement indicated "some justification" for the constable's action, and admitted that the constable's statement did say he was instructed by the sergeant to strike Lloyd.

Green told the court that citizens had disarmed Lloyd, with the police arriving on the scene 20 minutes later. He said during the time the police were accosting Lloyd while he was on the ground, he was armed with broken bottles which he used as weapons, and whenever the policemen tried to disarm him, he would attack them, even throwing bottles.

Green also told the court that the sergeant in question admitted in an informal interview to firing a single shot. He said injuries to the body appeared consistent with one gunshot.

Yesterday evening, the Constabulary Communication Network stated that the post-mortem performed by the government pathologist on the body of Lloyd revealed that death was caused by a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Green said in court that the police have already collected more than 20 statements from witnesses, including civilians and policemen, but that there are potentially more than 100 witnesses to be found that could give statements and as such investigators have a far way to go.

He also told the court that the police were still trying to collect a statement from the person who shot the video of the incident, and admitted the police have not yet established the authenticity of the recording.