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Jamaica’s Commissioner Says Coke’s Case Should Start in 48 Hours

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Jamaica’s Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington said Tuesday evening (June 22) that legal proceedings against captured fugitive, Christopher Coke, should commence within 48 hours.

“The legal proceedings will commence immediately; once we are able to settle on the issue of legal representation and reach an agreement with the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on where the hearings will be held a court date will be set, and we anticipate that we can achieve that within 48 hours,” Commissioner Ellington told a press briefing at his office, Hope Road, Kingston, some two hours after Mr. Coke’s capture.

He also stated that the security threat level for members of the security forces has been raised to the level that they were on May 21 this year, three days before the security forces entered the Tivoli Gardens community in West Kingston in an effort to capture the fugitive.

“This means that our members have been alerted to the possibility of attacks on their persons or patrols on the road and our facilities, and we are urging members to raise their level of anticipation and alertness and remain professional while executing their duties,” the Commissioner explained.

He said that Mr. Coke, in respect of whom the police are holding a warrant of arrest for the commencement of extradition proceedings to the United States on drug and gun running charges, was arrested at 4 p.m. by a party of policemen manning a vehicle checkpoint along the Mandela Highway, which runs between Kingston and St. Catherine, acting on intelligence.

“Coke is being held now in a secure facility and the security forces are taking every step possible to ensure his safety and wellbeing, while he is in our custody,” Mr. Ellington assured.

“I would like to appeal to the families, friends and sympathizers of Christopher Coke to remain calm and to allow the law to take its course. I also [would] like to assure the citizens of Jamaica that the situation remains normal, there is no need for alarm and they can get about their normal businesses in the usual way,” the Commissioner went on.

“We would also like to reassure the country that we will continue our efforts to defeat organised crime and to restore law and order in this country while, at the same time, turning around the crime and security situation,” he concluded.

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