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Police ignored evidence that contradicts Capleton's accuser - lawyer

Published:Monday | May 14, 2018 | 12:00 AMLivern Barrett/Senior Gleaner Writer

Police investigators received information that contradicted claims made by the woman who has accused popular entertainer Capleton of rape, but failed to act on it, the attorney for the internationally renowned recording artiste has charged.

That assertion was made in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court yesterday when the 51-year-old entertainer, whose real name is Clifton Bailey, was granted bail in the sum of $250,000 and ordered not to have any contact with his accuser.

He was also allowed to keep his travel documents despite the protest of clerk of court, Hansurd Lawson.

Capleton was arrested and charged with rape last Friday by detectives from the Centre for the Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse (CISOCA).

According to the police, the alleged victim - a hairdresser - reported that Capelton had sex with her against her will inside a New Kingston hotel room where she had gone to groom his hair on April 28.

Speaking in court yesterday, Capleton's attorney, Christopher Townsend, said that as part of the allegations against his client, the woman told police investigators that several things were destroyed in the hotel room.

However, according to Townsend, detectives from CISCOCA visited the hotel after the entertainer was charged and spoke to two executives there who denied that there was any damage to the room.

"Personnel from CISOCA went to the scene and discovered that there was significant departure from what was complained of and took no statements," Townsend pointed out.

"I'm certain that if the investigation was done properly, they would have seen the major flaws that are now coming to the fore," he added.

A liaison officer for CISOCA admitted in court that statements had not yet been recorded from the two hotel executives.

Outside the courtroom, Townsend repeated his assertion that the entertainer was being extorted by his accuser. He said that the police had asked him to turn over WhatsApp and voice note messages in his possession of the woman allegedly "demanding that certain things be done".

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com