THE start of the inquest into the death of three men, who were killed by Police at the junction of Mandela Avenue and Industrial Estate Access Road in July, was again put off yesterday.

This fourth postponement of the inquiry surrounding the so-called ‘Mandela Three’ is because one of the jurors selected withdrew after others were sent away.

Five of them, all male, were chosen from a possible 28 but the one reneged, saying he is a friend of one of the Police witnesses.

However, attorney-at-law Mr. Basil Williams, representing the families of the deceased, requested that Saheed Hussein, who had withdrawn, be detained on the ground that his action was a deliberate ploy to hinder the commencement of the proceedings.

Williams said Hussein waited until the rest of potential jurors had been dismissed to make his disclosure.

"People like them are making a mockery of the court, Your Worship and need to be jailed as a lesson to others," the lawyer told Coroner Juliet Holder-Allen.

Other attorney-at-law Mr. Vic Puran, for the Police, was absent but Mrs. Holder-Allen said she was fully prepared and eager to hear the witnesses.

Williams, though, said he was not willing to risk the possibility of a deadlock of two against two if there were only four jurors.

He would have proceeded with three if one of those chosen was discharged but Mrs. Holder-Allen said she was not comfortable with wasting people's time and rescheduled the hearing to December 13, for selection of a fifth juror.