Cops recommend inquest in killing of Carenage teen

The police have recommended to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson, that an inquest be held into the shooting death of Carenage teenager Sherman Monsegue. The file was submitted to the DPP last week. Police sources revealed the file was submitted by Supt Errol Dillon, who was appointed by Commissioner Paul to conduct the probe. Dillon is in charge of the Firearms Interdiction Unit. Monsegue, 18, was shot dead on October 13 during an alleged confrontation with officers of the Western Division Police. The police claimed that Monsegue and another man shot at them and they returned fire. Residents of Carenage who gave statements to the police investigator denied this and claimed that Monsegue was executed.

Angry Carenage residents mounted several protests calling for a transparent probe into the killing. Most of the killings by the police have resulted in inquests being ordered. Relatives of Monsegue told Newsday they were not happy with the recommendations of the police. They feel that based on the statements supplied to the investigator, someone should be charged with the death of Monsegue. Relatives said they were promised a fair and thorough probe and based on recent statements by Police Commis-sioner Trevor Paul, it seems police investigators probing deaths of persons killed by the police recommended inquests into those deaths. Up until yesterday 21 persons were killed in 14 violent encounters with the police for the year. Six of those investigations have been completed and inquests were recommended. The remaining eight probes are still being investigated.