473 / 494
472
14.142.
We also accept Mr. Campbell’s analysis of the post mortem
reports and his findings more particularly set out at para.14.63. To
that extent, we do not repeat his findings here.
14.143.
SSP Winchroy Budhoo’s evidence is worthless. His
credibility was destroyed by the several corrections he sought to make
to his witness statement and the reasons he gave for making the
corrections. We deprecate his corrections to his evidence after first
seeing Sgt. Waugh’s evidence on television and, secondly, in response
to a telephone conversation with Supt. Turner after Supt. Turner had
seen part of SSP Budhoo’s evidence on television. Such an approach to
sworn evidence does not only adversely affect the quality and
reliability of SSP Budhoo’s evidence. It is also unworthy of a senior
police officer of SSP Budhoo’s rank. Above all, it should never happen
at all.
14.144.
We have no similar concerns with the evidence of
Supt. Gladys Brown-Ellis. We endorse Mr. Witter’s observation that she
was very professional in extremely trying and traumatic circumstances.
Her evidence has been most useful to the Commission in our
determination of the actual number of persons killed as a result of the
internal security operation. We have determined that 69 persons died
as a result of the operation.
14.145.
With regard to the treatment of bodies, the evidence of
Mr. Ferdinand Madden was credible. His staff were confined to the
Funeral Home for 24 and 25 May as a consequence of the unstable
state of North Street. We applaud Mr. Madden’s prescience to request
the assistance of Taylor’s in storing bodies and we commend Mr. Taylor
for his response to a difficult situation. We accept the evidence of
Mr. Madden in respect of the treatment of decomposing bodies and we