By Glenroy Sinclair, Staff Reporter 
Residents of August Town, St. Andrew, burn debris on several streets in the area. The road was cleared after area leader, Andrew Walker, was reported to have received bail at the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, Half-Way Tree. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer
HOURS AFTER angry supporters of Andrew 'Mampy' Walker, area leader of 'Jungle Twelve', August Town, east St. Andrew, staged a massive demonstration yesterday calling for his release from jail, they frolicked when news spread that he was being freed on bail.
"He is being offered bail in the sum of $100,000," Colin Campbell, Minister of Information and Member of Parliament for the constituency, shouted to his constituents, shortly after receiving a phone call.
Walker's supporters responded with loud cheers, clenching beer bottles and shouting, "Man de a road." But up to 4:30 p.m., Mr. Walker was still at the Half-Way Tree police station.
Supt. Rosie McDonald-Barker, head of the St. Andrew Central Police Division, which includes Half-Way Tree, told The Gleaner, "Some documents just came for him and he is about to be taken across to the court to take up his bail. His travel documents have been seized and he is supposed to report to the police."
Attorney-at-law Wentworth Charles, who represented Mr. Walker, said his client was taken before the Corporate Area Criminal Court at Half-Way Tree and was offered bail by Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle. "He is scheduled to return tomorrow," Mr. Charles said.
Reports are that Walker was picked up by the police on an arrest warrant about 2 o'clock yesterday morning and charged with assault occasioning actual bodily arm.
Sources said that apparently while he was being taken into custody his cellular phone fell from his pocket, unnoticed by him.
At daybreak a member of the community found the phone with what appeared to be bloodstain on it. News spread that 'Mampy' had been picked up by the police for no apparent reason and had been badly beaten; with some supporters expressing concern about whether he was still alive.
Scores of his supporters then began to block roads, setting fire to debris in the roadway and demanding that the police release their area leader. Route taxis and Jamaica Urban Transit Company buses could not enter the community.
A huge roadblock with burning debris was mounted at the intersection of Mona Road and the August Town main road. Police from the August Town station were blocked in and had to call for reinforcement from outside.
After a talk from Mr. Campbell, the residents partly cleared the roadblocks but threatened to block the roads again if Mr. Walker was not released.
Soldiers and police, armed with assault rifles, took up positions in the area.
Mr. Campbell appealed to the protesters to stop blocking the roads.
