The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE conduct of a police investigator was called into question yesterday during the 58th day of the Marco Archer murder trial.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Bernard K Bonamy Jr was questioned about his handling of the case, whether he pursued other possible suspects aside from the accused – including a friend who he has denied sweethearting with – and if he eliminated Marco Archer’s relatives as suspects.

It was also suggested to the officer by Geoffrey Farquharson, Kofhe Goodman’s attorney, that the brother of the accused, ASP Ricardo Taylor, could have been a suspect as he lived in Yorkshire Drive, where a decomposed body was found behind an apartment complex.

Goodman, 38, of Yorkshire Drive, faces a murder charge, which he denies.

It is claimed that between September 23 and 28, 2011, he caused the death of Marco Archer, 11.

Archer, who disappeared from Brougham Street, was found dead days later.

Yesterday, the cross-examination of ASP Bonamy Jr by Mr Farquharson resumed.

The officer testified that he took over the investigation on September 28, 2011, after a lifeless body, believed to be that of Marco Archer, was found.

“When you took over, the defendant was already in custody?” the attorney asked.

“Yes, sir,” ASP Bonamy Jr answered.

“He was arrested along with others in a vehicle?” the attorney asked.

ASP Bonamy Jr said “yes”, but could not recall if others aside from those in the vehicle were detained.

Mr Farquharson put the names of two the suspects to the investigator, who said he didn’t recognise them.

“Did you investigate either of the two persons arrested along with the defendant?” the attorney asked.

The officer said they were interviewed.

When asked if he directed for them to be released, he said the order for their release would have come from himself or “Mr Rolle”.

“You never asked for DNA samples from any of them?” Mr Farquharson asked.

“No, sir,” the officer said.

He also said he could not recall asking them to disclose their whereabouts between 4pm and midnight on September 23, 2011.

The investigator was also asked about ASP Taylor and admitted he didn’t know whose garbage bin certain clothing items were found in.

“If you don’t know, how do you exclude him as a suspect?” the attorney asked.

The investigator said ASP Taylor was not a person of interest in the investigation.

Mr Farquharson then shifted his focus to the barmaid, whom the ASP previously said was a friend from Freeport whom he had known for ten or 11 years.

The investigator said he did not find out the barmaid had lived at the Yorkshire Unit until after the accused was charged with murder and that she was not a suspect in the matter.

“So you did question her about this dead body?” the attorney asked.

“No, sir,” the investigator asked.

“I put it to you that she told you the defendant put her out and she was jailing him for murder,” the attorney suggested.

ASP Bonamy Jr denied this and also denied that his friend wanted him to jail the accused.

Mr Farquharson then questioned the officer about the first suspects an investigator would consider when seeking to find the culprit in the disappearance of a child.

“The family members,” ASP Bonamy Jr answered.

The attorney suggested that there was no way Marco’s family could have been eliminated as suspects in the matter.

The investigator disagreed.

“Kevin Archer is a close relative of Marco and you never investigated him,” the attorney suggested.

However, the investigator said the name did not ring a bell.

The trial resumes today before Justice Bernard Turner.

Garvin Gaskin, Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, is prosecuting the case along with Neil Braithwaite and Darell Taylor.