No evidence! Two cops cleared in INDECOM case

Two St Catherine-based police officers accused by the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) of giving false statements have walked free after prosecutors offered no evidence when the matter came up for trial in the St Andrew Parish Court on Monday.

Sergeant Jason Bailey and District Constable Vaughn Sutherland, who were charged under the INDECOM Act with making false statements to investigators, were formally found not guilty after the prosecution disclosed that the case file was incomplete and key documents were still outstanding.

Parish Court Judge Alwayne Smith subsequently entered formal not guilty verdicts, bringing the matter to an end.

The officers were represented by attorneys-at-law Orville Morgan, John Jacobs, Michael Deans and D'Ondre Buchanan.

The charges stemmed from an incident in February 2021 along Old Harbour Road in Spanish Town, St Catherine, during a police operation in which items were reportedly damaged by gunfire.

During INDECOM's investigation, Bailey and Sutherland were charged with allegedly providing false statements to investigators.

Both men consistently denied the allegations and maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.

We want to hear from you! Email us at star@gleanerjm.com and follow @thejamaicastar on Instagram and on X @JamaicaStar and on Facebook: @TheJamaicaStar, or on Whatsapp @ 876-550-2506.