Murder charge for Buckfield cop
Published:Tuesday | August 10, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Arthur Hall, Senior Staff Reporter
The police sergeant caught on camera firing a shot at a man in Buckfield, St Ann, late last month, is to appear in the Home Circuit Court in Kingston today to answer to a murder charge.
However, other members of the police team, who reportedly went to apprehend Ian 'Chen-Singh' Lloyd in connection with the murder of Lovelita Wilson on July 29, have escaped criminal charges.
Detective Sergeant Lloyd Kelly was charged with murder yesterday following a ruling by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn.
A second member of the force, Constable Vick-Roy Mowatt, who was caught on tape using a baton to strike Lloyd repeatedly, is to face strong departmental action, while other members of the police team present at the time are to face an investigation into their actions.
Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington has directed the inspector general of the force to lead the internal investigation.
Kelly was recorded by a private citizen firing at Lloyd, who was lying on the ground.
Persons on the scene were heard on tape encouraging Kelly to "Give him another one!" even as Lloyd writhed on the ground.
There was nothing on the tape to indicate that a second shot had been fired.
Kelly is expected to be asked to enter a plea when he appears in court today, but the trial is some distance away, as investigators will have to await the results of forensic tests being done to determine if the bullet that was fired by the veteran cop was the one that killed Lloyd.
A post-mortem done last week found that Lloyd had two gunshot wounds - a non-fatal wound to the left forearm, and a fatal wound to the left side of the abdomen.
The post-mortem also found that Lloyd had multiple injuries consistent with someone who was beaten before being killed.
It has been argued that Mowatt was using the baton in an attempt to disarm Lloyd, who was allegedly pelting members of the police party with stones and bottles.
But on the tape, the police constable hit the man repeatedly.
Persons of interest
In the meantime, the police are appealing to anyone who was present at the time of the incident to come forward with information they might have.
According to the police, they particularly want to speak with the four persons who were reportedly injured by Lloyd during the incident.
These four persons are known to the police as 'Bernard', 'Tanya', 'Jackie' and 'Jigga'.
The police are also asking persons who witnessed the mob beating inflicted on Lloyd prior to the fatal shooting to provide statements as quickly as possible.
The investigators have also repeated their request for the person who originally recorded the incident to make urgent contact with the Major Investigation Task Force (MIT) to provide a statement that can be presented to the court.
Head of MIT, Assistant Commissioner Les Green, told The Gleaner that the police are prepared to provide protection for the person who recorded the video.
Green pointed out that the video alone would not be enough for the court.
Kelly and Mowatt were arrested, on the instruction of the police commissioner, immediately after Television Jamaica aired the video of the incident.
Last week, attorney-at-law Oswest Senior-Smith took the matter to court, seeking to have the men released.
Resident Magistrate Carolyn Tie ruled last Thursday that the two policemen be charged or released by today.