Cop denies he, Fraser, Abraham shot at London
Stabroek News
June 20, 2002
Lance Corporal Kord Sobers yesterday told a coroner's inquest that neither he
nor his colleagues: Eustace Abraham and the late Leon Fraser had shot at Linden
London after his surrender had been arranged during a siege at an East Bank
guest house.
Sobers was answering questions from Coroner, Melissa Robertson who is
presiding over the inquest into the deaths of London and Rhonda Forde.
Sobers was part of the 11-hour joint services siege at Toucan Suites Guest
House between February 8-9, which ended with the deaths of London.
A constable at the time of the incident, Sobers was attached to the Anti-Crime
Task Force, of which he still is a member.
He began his testimony with the call to duty at 20:00 hrs on February 8, when the
Task Force, which included among others, Senior Police Superintendent Steve
Merai, the late Superintendent Fraser, Detective Constable Abraham and
Sergeant Eon Smith, received information which prompted them to leave their
base at Eve Leary to visit the Toucan Suites Guest House at Eccles.
Arriving at Eccles, Sobers said he, Merai, Fraser and Abraham went into the
compound of the Guest House. Merai then knocked on the door of an
apartment, he said, which Linden London and a female were supposedly
occupying.
"After Superintendent Merai knocked at the door, automatic gunfire came from
within the apartment."
He testified that the ranks took cover and were further assaulted by several
grenades, shrapnel and tear-smoke. Following this assault, he said the ranks
resumed firing towards the apartment.
"Shortly after, a door to the apartment was opened and a female was pushed out.
She was groaning loudly and crawling towards our direction."
Fraser had tried to move her, he said, however gunfire coming from within the
building prevented him from doing so.
At 02:30 hrs on February 9, soldiers from the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), in
the charge of Captain Fitzroy Warde, arrived on the scene. Warde was briefed
on the situation and outer and inner cordons were formed. He specified that the
ranks of the GDF formed the inner cordon.
The ranks of the GDF then began to penetrate the building, covering each other
with fire as they entered the building. He said shortly after he saw several ranks
of the GDF running out of the building, while at the same time saying a soldier
was shot and was left inside of the apartment. Fraser and other ranks then
returned to the apartment while he and Abraham lifted the wounded woman and
placed her into Police force vehicle GFF 4379. Fraser and the ranks at that time
came out with the injured soldier who was placed into the same force vehicle,
which then left for the Georgetown Public Hospital.
Moving to the early morning hours, he said ranks of the GDF, who were
positioned on the western side of the apartment, in a yard opposite, begun firing
the anti-tank gun at the apartment.
Sobers then mentioned that during the night's exchange of gunfire, he had seen
tiny flames in the apartment which had died out. He said after the soldiers had
stopped firing, he noticed that the back of the building had been engulfed by
flames.
"I was still in the outer cordon when I heard conversation between the ranks from
the inner cordon and someone in the apartment." "What was the conversation
about?"
"I heard, `Give up yourself' and `Come out'..."
"Who said that?"
"I would not be able to say."
"What else did you hear?"
"We will protect you and you will get your justice. Suddenly, I heard an
explosion of gunfire and someone hollered that Linden London was shot."
He and Abraham ran into the yard following the explosion he said, and it was at
that time he saw London lying on his back. He was wearing a blue bulletproof
vest and either a red or blue or red and black pants. Sobers was uncertain. He
noticed London was also wearing regulation army boots.
"Earlier you said you had heard a conversation. Did you hear orders to fire or
hold fire? the Coroner began her cross-examination.
"No I did not hear anyone give any orders to shoot or hold fire."
"You said you heard an explosion of gunfire, someone would have had to give an
order?"
"I did not hear anyone give any orders."
"You had a gun. Yes"
"Yes."
"Where was your weapon aimed at the time when you heard the explosion of
gunfire."
"It was pointed in the air with the safety on."
"Where were you positioned?"
"Constable Abraham, Superintendent Fraser and I were on the southwestern side
of the building. We were the only police officers on the southwestern side of the
fence."
"Did you shoot London?"
"No."
"Did Abraham shoot London?"
"No."
"Did Fraser shoot London?"
"No."
"How do you know?"
"We could not do so from the position we were in."
"Why were you in a position where you could not shoot."
(No answer)
"Do you know who shot him?"
"No."
"Did you find out who shot him?"
"No. As far as I am aware, Superintendent Merai got negative responses from
the ranks of the Guyana Police Force and our unit."
Under cross-examination by the jurors, Sobers was asked if the police had been
prepared to hear shots ringing out and were ready for anything when the door to
the apartment was opened before Forde was pushed out. He replied in the
affirmative to both questions.
"Would you go to arrest a man and have your weapon pointed in the air and the
safety on?" "It would be difficult."
"Do you have any regrets that London was shot in the kind manner that he was?"
"When you say in the kind of manner, what do you mean? I was sorry when
London was shot."
The inquest will continue on July 8 at 1.30 hrs, when the police witnesses will
resume their testimony.