West: Investigation into deaths of suspects ongoing

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Director of the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) David West has said that investigations into the deaths of Andrew Morris and Joel Balcon are continuing.

West could not give a timeline as to when the investigations will be completed.

“I don’t want to give a timeline on the investigations. I am investigating the matter and we’re looking at all aspects of the investigations right now,” he told the Guardian Media Saturday.

Morris was one of two men who died while in police custody for the death of 23-year-old Andrea Bharatt. The other was Balcon.

They were held for questioning over the kidnapping of Bharatt on January 29. She was a clerk at the Arima Magistrates Court, was reported missing after she got into a fake taxi in Arima and never made it home. She was found dead on February 4 at the Heights of Aripo.

Morris was arrested on January 31 and died on February 1 during emergency treatment at Arima General Hospital. Balcon, who was also arrested, died at the ICU at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope on February 8.

The PCA announced, on February 9, that it had launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths of the men.

In a statement to the media last Monday, Commissioner of Police, Gary Griffith said a “full-scale” police investigation has been launched into the deaths of two suspects Morris and Balcon while in police custody.