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THEORIES ABOUT COKE’S ESCAPE
CDS. Saunders
13.22.
CDS Saunders advanced a theory of the escape route believed to
have been used by Coke, once again on the basis of “Intelligence reports”. He
said that these reports “allowed a path to be plotted”. The following is CDS
Saunders’ theory of the escape route:
“He left Tivoli via the Chestnut Lane area leading up to
Hannah Town and from there we had a number of reports of
him being in Hannah Town for a short while but also in the
lower St. Andrew area, upper St. Andrew, over into St. Mary
and St. Ann. And, during the period we were having those
reports, we launched a number of operations to try and
capture him. On the night of 24 May he had made good his
escape. He had left Tivoli.”
Maj. Williams
13.23.
Maj. Williams and his unit acted on the Intelligence reports and
followed the route that was plotted and reports that were received on and after
25 May. During his evidence, Maj. Williams was asked if time and hindsight had
provided any answers to Coke’s escape. Supporting CDS Saunders’ theory, he
said:
“Gen. Saunders gave his evidence and it is consistent with
what we accept as the method of escape and the route.”
CoP Ellington
13.24.
In his evidence, CoP Ellington gave his theory about the prevailing
conditions when Coke may have escaped and the possible route he took. He
said –
“In the chaos, confusion and intense gunfire it would have
been easy for anyone to escape. The theory we have is that
he escaped in a Northerly direction out of Tivoli Gardens
perhaps using tunnels, heading up through Hannah Town
and then into the wider society. There are tunnels leading