462 / 494
461
Thus the initial count was 72...My enquiries established 76
dead and 4 missing.”
23 Bodies in May Pen Cemetery (MPC)
14.99.
We received evidence that there was a large number of bodies in
MPC about 25 May. Mr. Witter’s evidence is that the Director of Investigations of
OPD, telephoned him to say that Dr. Rao was conducting autopsies on 23 bodies
in MPC. He said –
“I insisted that no more on-the-spot autopsies be done. I
called Mr. Golding and told him what had been reported. In
less than 5 minutes, he called me back to say that he had
instructed that no interment should take place and the
bodies should be frozen.”
14.100.
He (Mr. Witter) arranged for 5 independent pathologists to come to
Jamaica. He said he was told that Madden’s had taken coffins to the Cemetery.
14.101.
Mr. Witter confirmed that some of the bodies he saw at Madden’s
were dressed in denim jeans and some wore white Tee shirts. To Ms. Martin, he
said that “the list of 76 comprised names of all persons whose deaths are known
and may have been attributable to the actions of illegal gunmen and/or the
security forces during the State of Emergency”. He also stated-
“My report says that, up the time I demitted office, we were
investigating reports that 44 of the 76 were extra-judicial
killings…..At the time of my report I had had sight of the
post mortem reports.”
Dr. Salmon
14.102.
Dr. Salmon saw “a mound of bodies in various states of
decomposition”. He said –
“I would have expected the bodies to have been treated
with dignity and respect. There were no body bags.”