The Tribune

By PAVEL BAILEY

Tribune Staff Reporter

pbailey@tribunemedia.net

AN officer testified that Aliko Collins was a suspect in an attempted kidnapping of a woman on Cowpen Road just before he was shot and killed by an off-duty officer in Pinewood Gardens in 2017.

However, Collins’ alleged accomplices in that matter denied that he had a gun.

The inquest into the killing of Collins, 21, continued before acting Coroner Kara Turnquest-Deveaux yesterday.

Now-retired Superintendent Basil Collie, the subject of this inquest, alleged that an armed Collins accosted him on Bamboo Blvd in the early morning hours of February 8, 2017, causing him to fatally shoot the deceased.

Inspector David Rolle said on the day of the shooting, he was on duty at the Central Investigation Department when he received information on two suspects in an attempted armed robbery: Dameko Nottage and Sayon Campbell.

Inspector Rolle said in an interview with Mr Campbell, the driver that night, the suspect denied his involvement in the abduction.

During Mr Campbell’s questioning, Inspector Rolle said that the suspect told him that he, Mr Nottage and Collins went to Laufey Bar and left around 4am.

When Inspector Rolle asked if Mr Campbell had been on Cowpen Road that night, the suspect did not say, claiming he did not know roads well.

Mr Campbell told Inspector Rolle that the trio encountered a woman walking that night, and they tried to take her phone. Mr Campbell claimed that he and his friends fled the area after the woman started to scream. He denied having a gun and said none of the men touched the woman.

In his interview with Mr Nottage, Inspector Rolle said that the suspect also denied the abduction but admitted to trying to steal a woman’s phone that night.

During Mr Nottage’s interview, Inspector Rolle recalled the suspect telling him that he and his friends went to a party on Village Road before they drove to Cowpen Road.

Mr Nottage claimed that Collins tried to grab the woman’s phone while the car was still in motion. Mr Nottage told the officer that they got out of the car and tried to get the phone when this failed.

Mr Nottage claimed that when the woman refused, he asked for a gun to scare her to give it up. He said Collins put his hand in his shirt and acted like he was pulling out a gun, causing the woman to scream.

Inspector Rolle said the suspects said they fled the scene after men came out to respond to the scream.

When asked what weapon Collins allegedly used against Superintendent Collie, Inspector Rolle could not say as he was only investigating the attempted abduction on Cowpen Road. However, he claimed that the incidents happened minutes apart.

Inspector Rolle confirmed to K Melvin Munroe, Superintendent Collie’s attorney, that he did not investigate the deceased’s shooting.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Demetrius Taylor read his report on what he observed after surveying the shooting scene.

ASP Taylor said he saw the deceased’s body lying on the street in a pool of blood in a black Nike shirt, black pants and black slippers.

ASP Taylor also noted that the deceased had a gunshot wound to his head and that a fired bullet casing was next to his face. He also observed eight spent 9mm bullet casings scattered across the street, shattered glass and a Carlo Rossi bottle near the deceased’s corpse.

Photos of the scene by Inspector Austin Bowles showed Collins lying faceup on the ground with blood streaming from his nose. Photos of his chest with his shirt pulled up also showed that the deceased had tattoes.

A red dumbbell was also photographed at the scene.

ASP Taylor said Superintendent Collie told him at the scene that before the shooting, a vehicle pulled across from him while he was walking.

Superintendent Collie told the officer that four men exited, and after becoming in fear for his life, he pulled out and fired his service weapon.  Superintendent Collie claimed that one of the men had a firearm.

Later that day, ASP Taylor said Mr Nottage and Mr Campbell came to police and said their friend had been shot. ASP Taylor said they claimed Collins approached a man he had an issue with while carrying a bottle, and that the man shot him.

ASP Taylor said the woman in the attempted abduction recognised the champagne gunshot-riddled Nissan Slyphy as the car the suspects who accosted her drove.

When questioned by the jury on the exact timeframe of the alleged attempted abduction and Collins’ death, ASP Taylor could not say, only saying it happened after 3am.

Sergeant Neil Munroe testified that he collected the bullet casings, used bullets and blood samples from the deceased at the scene for forensic analysis.

Sgt Munroe made no mention of collecting a firearm used by the deceased.