Cocaine trial for four airport employees to continue November 30

THE TRIAL of four Sangster International Airport employees who were charged in October 2021 with attempting to smuggle 11.4 kilogrammes of cocaine onto a flight bound for Canada, began in earnest in the St James Parish Court on Wednesday, November 16, this after two previously deferred trial dates.

Indra Waite, Brelanie Reid, Tavon Murray, and Romaine Kerr sat quietly in the courtroom before presiding Parish Judge Sasha-marie Ashley, as testimony was given by the prosecution’s first witness, Detective Sergeant James Dawes from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Narcotics Division.

In his evidence in chief, Dawes told the court that he was part of an investigative team which went to the Montego Bay-based Sangster International Airport on October 22, 2021, after being given certain information by his superior officer.

“Detective Woman Inspector Maxine Bernard [the leader of the investigative team] made a request, as a result of which footage was provided, and I viewed the footage provided by the airport authorities and was told certain things. After I viewed the footage, I requested to speak to Ms Brelanie Reid along with other workers, to include Ms Indra Waite,” said Dawes, identifying both women in the prisoner’s dock.

“On Friday, October 27, I interviewed Romaine Kerr… a search was conducted of Mr Kerr’s residence in St James and nothing illegal was found at this place. Later that evening, Mr Kerr was interviewed in the presence of his attorney and he was asked a number of questions, to which he gave answers, and he was afterwards placed in custody,” Dawes added.

The witness also told the court that he went to the Cambridge Police Station on Saturday, October 29, where he interviewed Waite and subsequently informed her of the offences of conspiracy to export cocaine and possession of criminal property. He also said that on the same day, he visited Kerr in the police lock-up and informed him of the offences of possession, dealing, taking steps to export, and conspiracy to export cocaine.

Meanwhile, Reid’s attorney, Martyn Thomas, asked the court to provide him with a copy of a statement which had reportedly been made by his client to the police, as well as a question-andanswer document which she had reportedly filled out.

Additionally, the prosecution indicated that a no-evidence motion would be made in relation to Kerr’s charge of conspiracy to export cocaine, meaning he was freed on that charge.

The trial will continue on November 30, when the witness’ evidence in chief will continue.

The allegations are that on October 10, 2021, the four defendants were servicing a Sun Wing flight that was scheduled to depart the Sangster International Airport to the Toronto Pearson Airport in Canada. They reportedly conspired and placed a bag with 11.4 kilograms of cocaine, valued at US$570,000 (J$88.1 million), on board the aircraft.

The cocaine was intercepted at the airport in Canada and one person was arrested in relation to the seizure. Following top-level investigations, which involved the input of Jamaica’s Narcotics Division, the four accused persons, who are all of St James addresses, were arrested and charged.

The quartet’s trial had initially been scheduled to start on October 11 this year, but the matter was pushed back to October 19 due to the prosecution’s witnesses being absent. The case was then deferred from October 19 to November 16 because Kerr’s attorney, Charles Sinclair, was absent from court due to his attending Parliament as a government senator.