What about anal swab, black underwear?

SENIOR COUNSEL Desmond Allum inquired yesterday about the anal swab and the black underwear worn by 11-year-old schoolboy Akiel Chambers and which was submitted to the Forensic Science Centre in 1998 for analysis.

Allum told Coroner Sherman Mc Nicolls yesterday that newspaper reports attested to the fact that the anal swab had been destroyed. He said his team had written to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson seeking assistance in the matter. “We want information as to what happened to the anal swab. This will prove the presence of spermatozoa. What about the black underwear?” he asked. Allum presented copies of the letter to the DPP and the response from Henderson.

In the letter, attorney Donna Prowell stated, “It has come to my attention that a very vital exhibit (anal swab) in relation to the above inquest may no longer be available. Several newspaper reports attest to the fact that this exhibit has been destroyed. If this is in fact so, it reveals a very alarming state of affairs as this exhibit pointed to a very pertinent line of inquiry having regard to Dr Jankey’s post-mortem findings that the deceased’s ‘anal canal was very lax and indicative of repeated anal intercourse.’” She continued, “It should have been obvious to any competent investigator and any diligent Coroner that this line of inquiry should have been investigated and even if at the time there were no facilities locally for extracting DNA samples from the swab, foreign assistance could have been obtained.”

Prowell called for the  Commissioner of Police to confirm whether the exhibit has been destroyed and if so, by whom and in what circumstances. She also asked about the black underwear which Akiel was wearing when his body was pulled out of the swimming pool at 23 Balata Terrace, Haleland Park, Maraval, on May 24, 1998. Prowell’s letter continued, “On the assumption that the exhibits referred to have not been destroyed, I urge you to enlist the forensic expertise available to you abroad to ascertain whether any DNA samples can be extracted from any of these exhibits at this late stage. One assumes that should such samples be extractable, that samples from the deceased might still be available for the purposes of comparison.”

DPP Henderson replied saying that the letter had been passed to the Director of the Forensic Science Centre Yolanda Thompson for her comments on whether it is still possible, at this stage, to conduct DNA analysis on any of the available exhibits. “The matter is receiving her urgent attention,” Henderson said in his letter dated October 13, 2003. Akiel was buried at the Western Cemetery, St James, days after a second post-mortem was performed on his body on May 28, 1998.