Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
A SETTLEMENT in the sum of $4.75 million has been reached between the Government and the estate of one of two men who were shot and killed by the police in Flankers, St. James, in October 2003.
A Supreme Court judge will approve the consent order today in relation to the estate of 63-year-old taxi driver, David Bacchas. Attorney-at-law Oswald James is representing Bacchas' estate.
Bacchas and 65-year-old newspaper vendor Cecil Brown were travelling in a motor car in Flankers when they were fatally shot on October 18, 2003. Audrey Stephens, another passenger, was also injured during the shooting incident.
NEGOTIATIONS TAKING PLACE
The Government has accepted liability in respect of the claims made by lawyers representing the estate of the two deceased, as well as the claim made by Stephens.
Government lawyer Patrick Foster said yesterday that negotiations were still taking place with respect to the other two claims.
Arising from the shooting incident, five policemen have been charged with double murder and wounding with intent. They are Woman Constable Bibzie Foster and constables Metro McFarlane, Kevin Williams, Kadian Smith and Donald Thomas. The case is set for mention in the Home Circuit Court on January 20.
Angry residents had staged a two-day demonstration and mounted massive roadblocks along the Montego Bay to Falmouth main road after the incident, disputing police reports that the senior citizens had been fatally shot during a crossfire between the police and gunmen.
