466 / 494
465
Bodies at May Pen Cemetery
14.115.
Mr. Madden was informed that the 4 bodies taken to MPC were
undergoing post mortem examination. He therefore sent 19 bodies, including 15
decomposed, and 4 others brought in on 25 May. In addition, he sent coffins to
the cemetery. The on-the-spot post mortem examinations were curtailed as a
result of the gunfire mentioned previously in our review of Supt. Brown-Ellis’
evidence.
14.116.
The Public Defender, Mr. Witter, instructed that the on-the-spot
post mortem examinations should cease and Madden’s retrieved the 23 bodies.
Mr. Madden said that he objected strongly to keeping these bodies “since we
were not in a position to receive” them. He gave the reasons. He was able,
however, to resolve the issues concerning the decomposing bodies by securing a
refrigerated container which was installed on 28 May at Norman Road where the
decomposing bodies were sent.
28 May
14.117.
Taylor’s asked Madden’s to remove the bodies at Taylor’s because
of an odour from the decomposed bodies. Madden’s removed 4 of the bodies
but none of these was connected to the internal security operation.
29 May
14.118.
About 11.30 a.m. Madden’s removed 8 decomposed bodies from
Taylor’s and stored them at Norman Road in a container together with the 23
removed from MPC.
14.119.
Under cross-examination by Lord Gifford, Mr. Madden explained
that the 45 bodies counted by Mr. Witter on 25 May “would have included others
heaped up in the same area”.