INDECOM arrests, charges two Westmoreland cops with murder
THE Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) yesterday morning arrested and charged two policemen with murder.
The commission, in a press release, said Constables Duan Barrett and Sasamarley Barrett, both assigned to the Fugitive Apprehension Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), were charged with the murder of Michael McKenzie, a resident of New Road, Westmoreland.
Both policemen appeared yesterday before Resident Magistrate Icolyn Reid in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate’s Court, where they were offered bail following applications by their attorneys. The accused men were represented by attorneys-at-law Herwin Smart and Michael Erskine.
They were offered bail in the sum of $300,000 with one to three sureties and were ordered to surrender their travel documents. Stop orders were also placed on them at all ports.
“The police reported that on August 11, 2014 about 4:30 am a group of police officers went to a premises in New Road, Westmoreland allegedly to serve a warrant. It was reported that the police officers went into the room of the deceased where they were greeted with gunfire, the fire was returned and McKenzie was shot and killed. A firearm was allegedly recovered. The version of the police and that of civilian witnesses did not accord,” the INDECOM release said.
The matter is set for mention on June 21.
