Former Police Commissioner Colin Coxall may still return to Bermuda to give evidence at the serious crimes inquiry - despite the public sessions officially coming to a close.

Although the open court room closed its doors to the public on Friday, the chief Police officer at the time of the Rebecca Middleton slaying told The Royal Gazette that he had not ruled out the possibility of coming back.

Witnesses to the inquiry cannot be subpoenaed from overseas, but they can be invited.

However, the commissioners of this inquiry, held to study the investigation and prosecution of serious offences on the Island, only invited him last Wednesday -three weeks into the probe.

They said on Friday that they would be prepared to open up the public sessions again should an important witness come forward to give evidence.

Mr. Coxall told The Royal Gazette from England that he had received a letter asking him if he had any "observations'' as the probe was coming to a close.

He said: "I have accepted the invitation and given them a fulsome reply. I have left it open for them and would expect to hear from them again.'' The commission, which was put in place by Governor Thorold Masefield following a public outcry over the handling of the Middleton case, faced some criticism at the hearing on Friday.

Bermuda Amnesty International Director LeYoni Junos said she had concerns over the way the commission had been handled, in particular to the way some witnesses had been more vigorously questioned than others.

In her opinion, former Attorney General Elliott Mottley, who was responsible for the prosecution of Rebecca's killers, was not questioned nearly enough.

But Chairman of the commission Justice Stanley Moore said the most vigorous questioning was directed towards those people still serving in Bermuda.

One of his fellow commissioners, Don Dovaston, said everything witnesses had said, either publicly or in private session, throughout the inquiry had not fallen on deaf ears and would be incorporated into their findings and recommendations.

And he said many of the systems and facilities people wanted in Bermuda, including modern legislation, forensic equipment and better treatment of sex abuse victims were already in use overseas and could be adopted here.

He added: "People have to walk the talk. There has to be action.'' Mr. Justice Moore thanked everyone who had come forward to give evidence and promised the commissioners would do their part to ensure that the inquiry was not just finished and forgotten about.

He said they had treated it with the utmost seriousness.

They will now be spending the next two weeks in Bermuda compiling their reports.

However, whether or not the findings are made public will rest with Governor Masefield.

MURDER MUR CRIMES CRM