Former cop says he saw colleagues abduct men in Boulevard case

Barbara Gayle, Justice Coordinator

The chief Crown witness in the case against the three policemen charged with the murder of two men, who were abducted from a plaza in 2004 has testified that he saw when the victims were taken away handcuffed.

The witness is a former cop who was assigned to the Police Intelligence Unit at the time of the incident.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Victor Barrett and Constables Paul Edwards and Louie Lynch are on trial in the Home Circuit Court for the double murder.

The witness told the court this morning that about 1 p.m on December 23, 2004 he and Constable Lawrence Clayton and one of the accused Paul Edwards who were all dressed in plain clothes left their head office on enquiries.

He said they were travelling in a red Honda civic motor vehicle with Edwards as the driver.

They stopped on Washington Boulevard at a plaza when Edwards pointed to a blue Honda CR-V which Edwards said had been stolen.

The former cop said they drove into the plaza and intercepted the CR-V.

He said they came out of their vehicle saw a man who later identified himself as Kemar Walters sitting in the passenger seat.

The witness said he asked who owned the vehicle and Walters pointed to a man in an auto shop, who later identified himself as Oliver Duncan.

The former cop said he and Edwards asked about the ownership of the vehicle but were not satisfied with the explanation given by Duncan.

He said they then handcuffed Duncan and Walters and placed them in their vehicle.

The witness said he suggested that they be taken to the Organised Crime Investigation Division, but Edwards said they should wait as there was the possibility of finding other stolen vehicles through the men.

He said Edwards then got on a his cell phone and made a call and soon after, the accused Lynch driving a white Toyota Corolla with another cop aboard, arrived.

He said the victims were then transferred from the red Honda Civic police car to the white Toyota Corrolla.

Edwards the other cop and the men were then driven away by Lynch.

He said he and Clayton remained at the plaza.

But the witness said he was concerned because he felt the men should be taken to the office.

The case continues on Monday.

The accused Barrett, Edwards and Lynch were arrested and charged in June 2009 for the murder of 20-year-old Kemar Walters and 28-year-old Oliver Duncan.

The Crown is alleging that the men were abducted by policemen from a plaza on Washington Boulevard, St Andrew, on December 23, 2004 and have not been seen since.

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