Mick Turner (right), retired superintendent of police from the Lancashire police in the United Kingdom, holds aloft a phone on which he can be contacted by members of the public to provide information in the case involving the disappearance of Kemar Walters and Oliver Duncan. Looking on during a press conference yesterday at the Jamaica Constabulary Force Anti-Corruption Branch, on Oxford Road in the Corporate Area, is Deputy Commissioner of Police Mark Shields. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

The mother of 20-year-old Kemar Walters, one of two men who were allegedly kidnapped by policemen at a shopping plaza more than three years ago, says she is guardedly optimistic about the new investigation which was launched into the controversial case yesterday.

Claudette Angus told The Gleaner that she had faith in the new investigation.

"Words can't express how I'm feeling," an emotional and tearful Angus said.

"I'm overjoyed and overwhelmed and I want justice to be served. The investigating officers (previously) assured me they would do their best and they didn't handle it properly, they acted as if it wasn't two persons who were missing."

Gleaner probe

The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) announced it would reopen the case in part on the strength of a recent series of articles published in The Gleaner.

Deputy commissioner in charge of crime, Mark Shields, said the police decided to take another look into the disappearance of Walters, a mechanic of Kitson Town, St Catherine, and Oliver Duncan, 35-year-old businessman of Olympic Way, St Andrew.

Witnesses said the men were kidnapped by men they believed to be members of the JCF's Organised Crime Investigation Division, from a plaza on Washington Boulevard, St Andrew, on December 23, 2004.

At a press conference held at the offices of the Anti-Corruption Branch on Oxford Road yesterday, Shields said the case was being re-opened to bring closure to the family of the deceased. He also said it was hoped the new investigation would redeem the JCF, which has had its reputation further besmirched by the allegations in the case.

"New information provided by The Gleaner newspaper and enquiries subsequent to that have prompted a fresh investigation based on what has come to light, " he said.

In February, The Gleaner published a three-part series of articles which examined the details of the case which involved a multimillion-dollar car-stealing ring and allegations of collusion between members of the JCF and criminals in the venture.

In the series, it was revealed that Duncan, who was involved in the ring, and Walters, who was an apprentice, were taken to separate locations and killed.

Kingfish to lead

Shields also announced that the investigations would be led by Operation Kingfish, which will be assisted by two retired police officers from the United Kingdom - Mick Turner, a retired superintendent, and Colin Fish, a retired detective superintendent.

Shields said the men would be in the island for a couple of weeks to do initial investigations.

This is the second time that foreign cops are being brought in to investigate the case. In 2005, the then police commissioner Francis Forbes called in Scotland Yard to help with the case.

Corporal Clayton Lawrence, who was accused of abducting the men, was freed in August last year after the Crown said there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the matter.