96 / 494
95
5.11.
With respect to the massing of gunmen in Tivoli Gardens,
CDS Saunders stated at para.12 of his witness statement –
“More alarming, there was also confirmation of reports of
gunmen being imported from St. James, Portland,
St. Thomas, St. Catherine, St. Andrew (Grants Pen, Red Hills
Road and the communities surrounding Tivoli Gardens and
Denham Town) to fight for Mr. Christopher Coke, the then
leader of the Tivoli Gardens Shower Posse and One Order
Gangs.
13. It was further confirmed by intelligence sources that
those imported gunmen arriving without arms would be
allocated arms and paid daily. Those who arrived with arms
were to be paid extra. Estimates suggested that there were
up to 300 gunmen in Tivoli Gardens prior to the launch of
the operation….”
Commissioner Ellington
5.12.
Similarly, CoP Ellington’s witness statement assists in
understanding the preparations made by criminals to repel the efforts of the
security forces to execute the warrant of arrest.
5.13.
We have earlier cited at para.5.09 a part of CoP Ellington’s witness
statement detailing the accelerated barricading of Tivoli Gardens. However, we
think it important to allow the witness statement to speak to what the JCF
Intelligence Bureau was observing on film of the preparations in Tivoli Gardens.
“The Security Forces observed armed persons manning
check points, observation posts and sniper positions at
various locations in and around Tivoli Gardens. There
existed at the time, credible intelligence that criminal
elements from several parishes in Jamaica had converged in
Tivoli Gardens to assist Coke and local gang members in
resisting attempts by the Security Forces to enter the
community to arrest Coke. Conservative estimates put the
number of recruited gunmen at three hundred (300).”