Cop denies he, Fraser, Abraham shot at London
Stabroek News
June 20, 2002

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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.