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State outlines damaging allegations against senior copBY VAUGHN DAVIS Observer staff reporter davisv@jamaicaobserver.com
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Embattled senior police officer Superintendent Harry 'Bungles' Daley was forced to spend yet another night in custody at the Horizon Remand Centre after a judge yesterday delayed, until noon today, a ruling as to whether he should be granted bail.
DALEY... arrested last Thursday
Following lengthy submissions by both the prosecution, which was led yesterday by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dirk Harrison, and defence counsel Valerie Neita-Robertson, senior resident magistrate at the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court, Glen Brown, stated that he would return his decision in the matter today.
Daley, who walked free-handed into court, dressed dapperly in a cream suit, was yesterday slapped with six counts of extortion and six counts of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act.
In outlining the allegations against Daley, Harrison told the court that last year the complainant in the matter went to Daley, during his stint as head of the St Catherine North Police Division, for help to deal with extortion of shops in a plaza he owned.
Daley, through a police inspector, allegedly told the complainant that he would stop the extortion only if the complainant either paid him $20,000 per month or gave Daley one of the shops in his plaza.
In February this year, however, Harrison further told the court, the complainant went to the police Anti-Corruption Branch and made a complaint against Daley. The complainant, Harrison went on, allowed himself to be fitted with voice and later picture recording devices and had since March been taping the moments when he paid over the $20,000 in extortion fees.
Harrison also said that last Thursday when Daley was arrested, he was taped by the complainant accepting marked money. And later during Daley's arrest, 15 of the marked $1,000 notes were taken from him.
Harrison then asked RM Brown to remand Daley until Friday, stating that he feared for the safety of the complainant and his family should Daley be released. Similar statements were made by head of the Anti Corruption Unit, Assistant Commissioner Justin Felice, while being questioned by Harrison.
"I have real concerns about not only the witnesses in this case but also the police officers involved because of threats and intimidation which have been done," said Felice. "[Risk assessments] which have already been done show a high risk for the witnesses and police involved."
Meanwhile, Harrison also said that following raids at several properties owned by Daley after his arrest on Thursday, several guns and rounds of ammunition were found in a vault at one of the locations. Investigations into the origins of the guns and ammunition were being conducted, Harrison noted, saying also that M16 rounds found in the vault were not standard issue by the constabulary force.
Meanwhile, Neita-Robertson objected to keeping Daley in custody further, stating that no substantial basis had been offered to keep him locked up.
"There is a witness protection programme in place and measures can be put in place to protect the witnesses if needs be," she told the court.
She also stated that nothing had been offered to suggest that Daley was a flight risk, or would not turn up for court. She also told the court that Daley was being exposed to danger behind bars as he was being put in an area which also housed men he may have arrested during his previous stints in the Kingston West Police Division.
Daley's health, Neita-Robertson added, had also deteriorated since his incarceration as he almost suffered a stroke on the night after his arrest due to an increase in his blood pressure.
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Embattled senior police officer Superintendent Harry 'Bungles' Daley was forced to spend yet another night in custody at the Horizon Remand Centre after a judge yesterday delayed, until noon today, a ruling as to whether he should be granted bail.
DALEY... arrested last Thursday Following lengthy submissions by both the prosecution, which was led yesterday by Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Dirk Harrison, and defence counsel Valerie Neita-Robertson, senior resident magistrate at the Half-Way-Tree Resident Magistrate's Court, Glen Brown, stated that he would return his decision in the matter today.
Daley, who walked free-handed into court, dressed dapperly in a cream suit, was yesterday slapped with six counts of extortion and six counts of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act.
In outlining the allegations against Daley, Harrison told the court that last year the complainant in the matter went to Daley, during his stint as head of the St Catherine North Police Division, for help to deal with extortion of shops in a plaza he owned.
Daley, through a police inspector, allegedly told the complainant that he would stop the extortion only if the complainant either paid him $20,000 per month or gave Daley one of the shops in his plaza.
In February this year, however, Harrison further told the court, the complainant went to the police Anti-Corruption Branch and made a complaint against Daley. The complainant, Harrison went on, allowed himself to be fitted with voice and later picture recording devices and had since March been taping the moments when he paid over the $20,000 in extortion fees.
Harrison also said that last Thursday when Daley was arrested, he was taped by the complainant accepting marked money. And later during Daley's arrest, 15 of the marked $1,000 notes were taken from him.
Harrison then asked RM Brown to remand Daley until Friday, stating that he feared for the safety of the complainant and his family should Daley be released. Similar statements were made by head of the Anti Corruption Unit, Assistant Commissioner Justin Felice, while being questioned by Harrison.
"I have real concerns about not only the witnesses in this case but also the police officers involved because of threats and intimidation which have been done," said Felice. "[Risk assessments] which have already been done show a high risk for the witnesses and police involved."
Meanwhile, Harrison also said that following raids at several properties owned by Daley after his arrest on Thursday, several guns and rounds of ammunition were found in a vault at one of the locations. Investigations into the origins of the guns and ammunition were being conducted, Harrison noted, saying also that M16 rounds found in the vault were not standard issue by the constabulary force.
Meanwhile, Neita-Robertson objected to keeping Daley in custody further, stating that no substantial basis had been offered to keep him locked up.
"There is a witness protection programme in place and measures can be put in place to protect the witnesses if needs be," she told the court.
She also stated that nothing had been offered to suggest that Daley was a flight risk, or would not turn up for court. She also told the court that Daley was being exposed to danger behind bars as he was being put in an area which also housed men he may have arrested during his previous stints in the Kingston West Police Division.
Daley's health, Neita-Robertson added, had also deteriorated since his incarceration as he almost suffered a stroke on the night after his arrest due to an increase in his blood pressure.
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