Retired Judge to head COI into Lindo Creek massacre

Attorney-at-Law, Donald Trotman was on Wednesday, January 31, 2018, officially sworn in as a Commissioner to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of eight miners at Lindo Creek in June 2008.

Trotman, a former Magistrate and Judge, was sworn in before Chief Magistrate, Ann Mclennan.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Ministry of the Presidency and 80-year-old Trotman has been given an April deadline to complete his investigation. He received his instrument of appointment from Minister of State, Joseph Harmon.

The Commission of Inquiry (CoI) will commence on Thursday, February 01, 2018, however, public hearings will be announced at a later date.

The victims of the massacre were Dax Arokium, his uncle Cedric Arokium and workers: Compton Speirs, Horace Drakes, Clifton Wong, Lancelot Lee, Bonny Harry and Nigel Torres.

The men were mining for diamonds at the location when they met their gruesome deaths sometime between June 9 and June 10, 2008.

Trotman studied International Law and Human Rights in the Netherlands and has over 50 years’ legal experience. He once served as Solicitor General and Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Trotman also served as the Attorney General in the British Virgin Islands (BVI) and as a Judge in Guyana from 1995 – 1999.

The retired Judge served as Chairman of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Grenada.