Whereas last week they were battling it out on different teams, this week acting police commissioner Errol Alexander and Police Welfare Association president Camron Laure seemed to be batting for the same side as they spoke out in response to last Friday’s news that Robert Innocent, who presided over an inquest into the death of Chakadan Daniel, had ruled Daniel’s death an “unlawful killing.”
At the time of his demise Daniel was in a Micoud police cell. The incident occurred some time during the night of October 22 and the morning of October 23, 2013—when his family was informed by police that Daniel had committed suicide. A post-mortem later revealed that Daniel had died “as a result of asphyxia.”
On Monday Laure said the PWA would lend support to the police officers involved, despite that no one had yet been charged and “the assumption of innocence until proven guilty should prevail.”
On Tuesday, July 28, the acting police commissioner Errol Alexander addressed the media, also in response to Innocent’s finding. He reminded attendees that “the Director of Public Prosecutions deals with the next step” stressing that the inquest had determined “unlawful killing.” Moreover: “One is innocent until proven guilty. Officers are to stay strong and render support to fellow officers because they are our colleagues and are innocent until a court of law says otherwise. We will await the decision of the court.”
As for police morale at this time Alexander said he did not have “a yardstick by which to measure police morale.” He reminded the press gathering that “we are still into law enforcement, we are successful in curbing crime despite the issues presently surrounding us. We have sworn to law enforcement and we are providing that service.”
Daniel’s mother this week expressed fears for her own life. She told reporters that she expects the court process will be, as usual, long and drawn out, with whoever has killed her son on the loose. “I could be the next target,” she told reporters. Whatever the risks, she added, she and her family are determined to seek justice for her son.
Meanwhile, with the IMPACS report yet to be declassified, others are wondering if perchance Chakadan Daniel’s name was on the hit list the prime minister claimed he had seen in 2011, the existence of which he recently claimed the IMPACS report has confirmed! Chakadan Daniel’s “unlawful killing” and the IMPACS report are among a heap of files reportedly in the hands of the DPP who is yet to make public what is the next step in any of these matters.
