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persuaded by the evidence of Supt. Pinnock that shots were being fired
by gunmen from the direction of Allman Town at a time when a High
Court Judge and an official in the DPP’s office happened to drive past.
But the gunfire was not aimed at those officials who, nevertheless,
took the precaution of seeking safe haven at Harmon Barracks.
4.118.
We find that gunmen fired sporadically but ineffectively on
25, 26, and 27 May. In respect of gunfire while police and medical
officers were on duty at May Pen Cemetery, there was an obvious
lacuna in the security arrangements subsequent to 24 May. The house
clearing exercises and searches were plainly deficient. The area of
operation had not been purged of gunmen.
4.119.
The evidence is contradictory about bodies and coffins
being seen in May Pen Cemetery on 25 May. We do not accept
Lt. Col. Cummings’ evidence as to the date on which he saw coffins on
his way out of the Cemetery. Although Lt. Col. Cummings was definite
and positive that “the coffins and the people were not there (the
Cemetery) on 26 and 27 May”, we are satisfied that he was mistaken.
As we report elsewhere, the evidence of Supt. Brown-Ellis and Mr.
Ferdinand Madden is clear that the incident referred to by Lt. Col.
Cummings in fact occurred on 26 May. We prefer their recollection of
the date.