"THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE to suggest any foul play in the death of I'Akobi Tacuma Maloney."

That's the word from police crime chief Assistant Commissioner of Police Seymour Cumberbatch, who also disclosed that investigations suggested that the 23-year-old man was going through a state of depression when he reportedly ran and jumped off a cliff at The Land Lock, Cove Bay, St Lucy, on June 17.

According to the crime chief, police also discovered a note entered in his personal diary which suggested he could have been contemplating suicide.

Yesterday's police statement followed charges by family members that Maloney, a Barbados Exhibitioner, met his death under suspicious circumstances.

Lashley's call

Opposition Member of Parliament Hamilton Lashley, who delivered the eulogy at the young man's funeral Thursday, also called on the Commissioner of Police and the Attorney-General to launch a special investigation into the unnatural death.

But in a categorical denial of any wrongdoing, police said Maloney was acting strangely when approached by lawmen who were responding to a report of a drug landing in the same area.

"Police came upon Maloney while responding to a drug landing in the same area. He was dressed in a short pants only and was pacing up and down on the ridge overlooking the nearby cliff, which caused police to approach him.

"When he was approached by officers, he responded that he [Maloney] was under pressure," Cumberbatch told the SATURDAY SUN.

According to the crime chief, Maloney, on request of the police, put back on his clothing and placed his haversack on his back and started to accompany officers away from the cliff.

It was during this period, Cumberbatch said, the young man darted away and jumped over the cliff.

Reports also indicated that earlier that day Maloney had submitted his resignation to the Arawak Cement Plant where he worked as a part-time chemical engineer.

According to post mortem results the young man died from drowning.

Meanwhile, there is expected to be a protest starting at noon today in Bridgetown by friends and family of Maloney under an umbrella body called the Justice Committee. Up to press time, members of the committee were unsure of the exact location of the protest, but a spokesperson said they would be following procedure for a peaceful, lawful event. (TS/PCA)