What’s in a name? A lot when it is “Adams”, anyway you turn it, it spells trouble, drop the “S” its Adam, put it in front “Sadam, sounds the same and just as dammed.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reneto Adams came to prominence in the 1990s and shot to fame (infamy) in three immemorable incidents starting with the Braeton Seven (March 2001), West Kingston Massacre (July 2001) and the Kraal Killings (May 2003). The first and third cases were taken through the courts of the land where he was acquitted. The second case was investigated by a Commission of Enquiry (headed by a former Canadian Judge- Julius Isaac), Adams was not implicated either. Whatever you or I might think of Adams is pure heresay, the law has taken its course and he is declared a free man.
Police brute force
The Crime Management Unit (CMU) was another unsuccessful initiative to fight crime launched by former Prime Minister, P. J. Patterson in September 2000. This unit was headed by SSP Adams for its duration and disbanded soon after the Kraal incident by former Commissioner of Police, Francis Forbes.
At least since the 1960s Jamaica has built its crime fighting strategy on a mistaken notion of tough cops, there were Joe Williams, Keith “Trinity’” Gardener, Bigga Ford, Karate Georgie to mention a few. Is it any surprise that the Spanish Town mess gave us Adams? And unless we yield ways to the Brits more local cops will rise to stardom, pulling power from the hip not within the cranium. In fairness to the police, until fairly recently the men and women attracted to the force were largely those who did not have the requisite education to voluntarily choose other careers: under those circumstances the emphasis was clearly not intelligence.
Kraal danhial
In our system of justice where one is presumed innocent until proven guilty and a lawyer can lie through the teeth to free a client, it was up to the prosecution in the Kraal case to get their main witness before the courts. The Director of Public Prosecutions, Kent Pantry himself was the lead prosecutor and the presiding Judge was Chief Justice Lensley Wolfe. Yet more powerful than both, the indomitable Sir Danhai Williams, noted PNP activist, he eluded the lawmen even while on bail (in another case) which required him to report to the police if not weekly, certainly at some points during this trial. Even more startling is his sudden reappearance after the case was closed, scot-free and I suppose American visa intact.
Dithering commissioner
The Police Commissioner, Lucius Thomas as reported in the Gleaner of March 6, 2005 said “if Adams is acquitted of charges of conspiracy to murder, then he will be accepted back in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) and reinstated to front-line duties”. Why then did the Commissioner dither and sought refuge in the Police Services Commission (PSC)? Whether it was politics or leadership, it reflects badly on the Commissioner!
This is not the first time that a high profile “tough cop” has been accused and freed of murder charges. Trinity Gardener was tried for the May 1990 murder of his wife and on acquittal was not only reinstated but went on to complete a law degree and returned to the police force where he currently serves in a senior role.
Canadian Eve
The Canadian Embassy has provided no evidence that Reneto’s wife (Mrs. Adams) gave him the “apple” or instigated the acts that he was accused of committing. While the granting of visa is a privilege afforded by the host country, the cancellation of Mrs. Adams visa in the circumstances is an abuse of power and interference in the judicial affairs of Jamaica.
Misguided fury
We continue to not see the forest for the trees. This is not about Adams, it is about a system tainted by politics and cronyism, where the executive, judiciary and administrative arms of government is controlled by one person. That person, the Prime Minister is solely intent on maintaining state power and at any cost. It was it that gave rise to the State of Emergency in 1976 and in the 1990s it caused a former Commissioner of Police to resign due to the interference of the Minister of National Security.
We have an affinity in this country for sensationalism and acronyms, caring more for style than substance. The politicians gave us ACID (Anti- Crime Investigative Detachment) to burn out crime, but to no avail, then following fast on the heels of the Braeton Seven from civil society came FAST (Families Against State Terrorism), then the West Kingston Massacre and Kraal Killings happened. Yet, we continue to bark up the wrong tree.
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
