Police deny abuse

The murder trial of Baggio Kristidi Decourcey Daniel, of Block 1A Factory Avenue, Wildey St Michael continued today with a police officer denying that he abused the accused while he was in custody.

Sergeant Michael Ifill told the jurors in the No. 5 Supreme Court, “I was not involved or [did I] ever see anybody abuse the accused person”.

The sergeant made the comment as defence attorney Marlon Gordon crossed examined him on the matter in which his client is accused of murdering Alex Romel Samuels on February 1, 2012. The deceased was fatally shot while on a minibus along the Pine East West Boulevard..

However, under questioning by Crown Counsel Neville Watson, who along with Principal Crown Counsel Krystal Delaney, is prosecuting the case, Ifill said his involvement in the matter was to conduct the identification parade in which the conductor of the van pointed to the accused on the line-up. There were eight other men on the identification parade, the Ifill disclosed.

The officer said apart from that function he was not aware of the circumstances in which Daniel got into police custody.

Two other persons, a policeman and civilian, gave evidence at today’s sitting presided by Madam Justice Jacqueline Cornelius. The matter was then adjourned to continue at 10 a.m. tomorrow, Friday, October 4.