Blackie inquest
Police had no permission to destroy hotel
-says Toucan Suites owner
Stabroek News
April 22, 2003
The owner of the Toucan Suites Guest House, where notorious criminal Linden ‘Blackie’ London had made his last stand, says he denied the police permission to destroy the property.
Owner Norman Trotz told jurors at the Coroners’ Inquest into the death of London and his girlfriend Rhonda Forde that he had refused to allow them to burn the building and had instead suggested an alternative way to engage the wanted man.
London, called `Blackie,’ was fatally shot at the Toucan Suites on the morning of February 9, 2000, after an 11-hour stand off with the police and army. There are conflicting reports over the death of Forde, who some suggest was shot by London, and others, that she was hit in crossfire.
Taking the witness stand on Tuesday, Trotz said on the morning of February 8 he had gone to the guest house to pick up his son, who lived in one of the apartments. He said he had also collected $19,000 and was informed by the building manager Bernadette Khan, that a guest had checked into Apartment Four on the previous day and had indicated an intention to stay for three days. The money he collected had been paid by the guest for accommodation ($16,000), phone calls and laundry ($3,000).
Trotz said at 9:00 pm that night he had been on his way to Georgetown when he was paged by his son, who requested he call urgently. When he approached the apartment complex, he said he discovered that police had barricaded the outskirts of the apartment and the entrance into Eccles.
He said he then made his way to the C&F Meat Centre at Bagotstown, from where he contacted his son and was told that “the police had taken over the building.” Subsequently he enquired from a police officer what was taking place and he was told: “We have Blackie cornered.”
He said he stayed on the Eccles Public Road and was later approached by Assistant Commissioner of Police Henry Greene, who asked his permission to destroy the building.
“I bluntly said no. If you want to, you could put it into writing, once you can compensate me... My attorneys are across the road.”
After consulting with Andrew Pollard, one of his attorneys, he said he returned to Greene and indicated that it would not be necessary to burn the building. He said he had the floor plan and suggested that there was an alternative way “to get to” London.
After retrieving the floor plan, he explained that ranks could have entered the apartment building by scaling the eastern fence and proceeding along the southern wall, which would have given them a clear view of the apartment from which London was firing. According to Trotz’ explanation the ranks would have been at London’s back, while he continued to engage the other joint services’ members in the front.
He said Greene had told him that it was too dangerous and relieved him of the building plan and began deliberations with then army Chief-of-Staff Joe Singh.
A few minutes later he said he saw two fire engines making their way to the scene from Georgetown before sustained gunfire erupted.
On Wednesday, February 9, at 9:30 am, Trotz said he was still on the Public Road when he heard a voice shout out, “Hold yah fire,” and then noticed someone coming out of Apartment Four before a burst of gunfire. This, he said, was quickly replaced by police officers waving their guns in the air in what he deemed a victory sign.
Trotz said afterwards he was invited by then army Brigadier Michael Atherly to survey the damage done to the building and he learnt that joint service forces had entered on the western side of the apartment complex and two Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG’s) had been lobbed into the building. Trotz said he had only heard two loud explosions from the Public Road after which the upper story of the building started to burn. He added that during the night soldiers had attempted to douse the door of London’s ground floor apartment with gasoline.
Two or three days after the police had finished combing through the debris, he said he decided to check on what was left of the building and during that process, a cellular phone was discovered by his electrician in a toilet bowl.
He said he called in police, who issued him with a receipt. After they left, the search continued and two cardboard food boxes filled with live ammunition were found. Police were again summoned to the scene.
Trotz said he has not been compensated for the damage done to his property. He has sought redress through a constitutional motion which was filed in the High Court, but a date has yet to be fixed for the hearing. He said he had also attempted to gain an audience with the government to discuss the issue but had only been successful in speaking with Attorney General Doodnauth Singh.
As a result of the demolition of the building he said he and his family had been left with nothing.
