Community leader feels targeted by cops

A former associate of convicted gangster Christopher 'Dudus' Coke is pleading to the security forces to change the lens through which they view him, insisting that he is a family man and a responsible citizen.

In fact, Mark Walters, who is popularly known as Mark II, wants the police to desist from treating him like a criminal.

Walters, who is from Wild Street, Allman Town, Kingston, said he has been on the receiving end of a series of 'unfair treatments' from the security forces since he was listed as a person of interest during the Tivoli incursion in 2010.

"From that dem just turn up at mi business place and just take mi up and carry mi go Central (police station) when dem feel like," Walters said.

Walters admits that he was an affiliate of Coke and that he respects him dearly.

"A mi boss. Sometimes mi a wonder what 'Presi' could ever do to be wrong, the way mi see how them man deh operate," Walters said.

However, he denies claims that he was a don.

"I was a leader in the community. I could send go round a one shop and get a food or get a shoes for a youth to go to school and people would give mi because them rate mi," Walters explained.

But the stigma that comes with such a status has caused Walters to want to distance himself from his leadership role.

NOT WORTH IT

"It nuh worth it and mi a try get myself away from that and dem still a view me that way," the 39-year-old said. "Is nine babymother mi have, so you must know how hard that is. I just want to provide fi mi youth dem."

He recounted that one time, during the summer holidays, he was almost brought to tears when one of his 10 children wept while he was being accosted by a policeman.

"Mi nuh easily cry but it move me when mi see mi pickney a cry," he said. "I have a son who a play Manning Cup now and mi cyah even go watch him play."

He added: "The other day I was in MoBay when my woman fly down and as mi come deh, man dem lock mi up say man dead a Allman Town and a must mi send man go kill him."

THE WEEKEND STAR made several attempts to speak with the Kingston Central police yesterday but the efforts proved futile.