Supreme Court Judge Lennox Campbell last Friday issued a directive for a letter to be sent to the commissioner of police for him to ascertain the circumstances under which a policeman was sent back on the job after being pointed out in an identification parade.
The disclosure was made when a bail application was made for Detective Corporal Christopher Thompson, who was later charged with murder.
The judge, after describing the situation as "amazing", instructed prosecutor Dahlia Findlay to draft the correspondence.
Thompson is charged with the murder of 16-year-old Randeen Hall, of Linstead, St Catherine. Hall was fatally shot on July 29, 2008. Thompson was arrested and charged last month.
The Crown is alleging that Hall had his hands in the air when he was shot four times. The police reported that they were informed that gunmen were at a certain area in Linstead. They went to the scene and allegedly returned fire after being attacked.
Investigation
Sean Kinghorn, the policeman's attorney, in applying for bail, had assured the court that Thompson would turn up for his trial. He disclosed that even though Thompson had been pointed out at an informal identification parade, he was allowed to continue working until he was subsequently arrested and charged. He explained that the case was still being investigated.
Justice Campbell turned down the bail application. The judge said he wanted to know which persons were responsible for the identification parade and described the sequence of events as alarming. Thompson was remanded to return to the Home Circuit Court on March 20 when the case will be mentioned.