-police fingered in missing cocaine probe
A former policeman was questioned over the weekend about his possible link to the recent execution of five persons, including a child, at Cummings Lodge.
Additionally, as the investigation into the case continues, police are also probing the allegation by a man that police “took” cocaine that has been linked to the attack.
Police Commissioner Henry Greene yesterday said that the ex-policeman turned himself in and was being questioned “concerning his role, if he had any role or so, in that shooting.” Greene told reporters that he did not know if the man had been released but Stabroek News was later told by the man’s lawyer, Glen Hanoman, that he was released on self-bail on Sunday, after spending a night in custody. “I know they were questioning him. I do not know what they have on him. I can’t say that at this time,” Greene explained, when asked if there was any concrete evidence against the ex-cop or if he was solely wanted for questioning.
Hanoman, meanwhile, expressed disappointment that his client’s name and photograph were published in a section of the print media, without the police issuing a wanted bulletin for him. He said his client was unaware that police wanted him for questioning until he saw his details published. It was based on this, the lawyer said, that his client contacted him on Saturday and they immediately went to the police, along with five persons who could have corroborated that he was at home when the shooting occurred.
According to Hanoman, police took statements from his client and the witnesses. They continued taking statements on Sunday and some time in the afternoon the ex-policeman was released on self-bail and instructed to report to the police on Friday, Hanoman added. The attorney stressed that his client was at home at the time of the shooting and there are about 20 persons who can corroborate his story.
Meanwhile, Greene also revealed that an investigation has been launched over allegations that police ranks confiscated cocaine from a man. Greene explained, “a man did go to the Tactical Services Unit and alleged that some policemen took some cocaine from him. Policemen were called in and the matter transferred to CID headquarters, where we are pursuing it at this point in time. And it seems to be related to information that we had concerning some cocaine being taken away or not accounted for (in the Cummings Lodge incident).”
Greene had told reporters that seven kilogrammes of cocaine that went missing may have led to the deadly attack. He had said that one of the slain men reportedly collected nine kilogrammes of cocaine sourced from Venezuela and was to hand it over to a “certain group.” However, only two kilogrammes were delivered and the man claimed that the rest had been seized by the police, Greene had said.
He added that the man’s story was apparently not believed and this may have led to the shooting at Cummings Lodge. Greene said the police are working with the information that the incident was drug related adding that investigators “are hearing so many things about a drug deal gone sour.”
Around 19:35 hrs on September 4, police received a report of a shooting at Second Field South East Cummings Lodge. On investigating, police found the bullet-riddled motor car PLL 2297, with the bodies of Steve Jupiter called ‘Steve man’; his girlfriend Fiona Singh and their son, Neil Jupiter, three years old, along with Christopher Gordon and Sherwin Jerome called ‘Dice Head,’ inside. Initial reports are that Steve, who resided at Industry, East Coast Demerara, went to pick up Singh and the toddler from a relative’s home in the area and as they were driving out persons opened fire on them. According to an eyewitness, two cars had been parked on the roadway for several minutes and it was the occupants of one of these cars who opened fire on the quintet.
