COP UNDER PROBE

A policeman in western Jamaica is under investigation amid claims that he fleeced a charity based in the United States (US) that was sending money to assist an American man who was convicted here on child sex charges.

The US Embassy has taken an interest in the case after officials there reported that they saw the American man Robert Benoit with “visible” head injuries during an “unannounced” visit to the jail where he was being held, according to correspondence seen by The Sunday Gleaner.

Families for Freedom (FFF), a New York-based charity that serves as a liaison between Benoit and his family in the US, confirmed that it has turned over troves of evidence to local authorities of what it claims was a scam by the cop.

A Western Union receipt dated June this year for a wire transfer of US$210 as well as audio and text messages allegedly sent by the cop were among the evidence shared with the police and the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM), said FFF Executive Director Janay Cauthen.

She said that the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB), which is leading the investigation, has confirmed the person she has been communicating with is a serving member of the police force and has requested that she provide a witness statement.

IPROB typically does not comment publicly on ongoing investigations.

Senior Superintendent Vernon Ellis, commanding officer for the St James Police Division, said questions about the case are best directed to IPROB.

“If it is that IPROB is conducting an investigation in this matter or around anybody for whatever policy breach or otherwise at this time, it would be prejudicial of [me] to speak of a matter that is being investigated,” he said.

Corruption matters

INDECOM confirmed that it received an “allegation” from FFF and said a response was provided.

“Corruption matters are generally not investigated by INDECOM and so the general practice would be that we would ascertain certain information to assess it and then a referral would be made to the relevant agency,” explained its senior public relations officer, Denyelle Anderson.

Benoit was convicted in the St James Circuit Court on March 29 this year for having sex with a person under the age of 16. According to evidence presented in court, the 57-year-old had sex with a 12-year-old girl at his St James home hours after a conversation with her father.

“Go spend the night with him and bring back money,” the child’s father told her as she left his home with Benoit, according to prosecutors.

The father has since been convicted and sentenced for breaches of the Child Care and Protection Act, law enforcement authorities disclosed.

Benoit has been remanded as he awaits a September sentencing hearing.

The FFF’s Cauthen said that shortly after Benoit’s conviction, his relatives in the US and FFF employees began receiving unsolicited telephone calls from persons claiming to be cops based at the St James police lock-up where he was being held.

She believes Benoit gave them the telephone numbers.

Cauthen said one of the callers, who identified himself as a constable, was very persistent, calling and sending WhatsApp messages offering to take care of Benoit for a “fee” of J$25,595.

“I don’t know how the Jamaican criminal justice system works, but he explained to me over the phone that in order for Bobby to get food, clothing, or anything, there is a fee that has to be paid,” she told The Sunday Gleaner.

“Like, the jail won’t allow them to come in without paying a fee.”

The fee, he explained, includes $14,595 for three pairs of shorts and three shirts; one pair of slippers; five pairs of socks; toothpaste; liquid soap; tissue and $2,500 for food, according to one of the WhatsApp messages.

“I charge $10,000jmd,” read another message.

When she asked for verification that he was a constable, Cauthen said that the man telephoned her and then handed the phone to Benoit in his jail cell.

Noting that her concern was about the welfare of the American, Cauthen said that FFF wired the US$210 to the constable using a mobile telephone number and St Elizabeth address he provided.

“Western Union closes at 5 so do the necessary as quick as possible,” read one WhatsApp message.

None of the items was purchased for Benoit, she said.

SURPRISING TURN

Cauthen said that after the wire transfer, the offer to assist Benoit took a surprising turn.

“I am trying my best to get him released from jail before his next court date,” said another message, notwithstanding the fact that Benoit is a convict awaiting his punishment by the court.

“So I said, ‘Now, this is extortion … ‘cause that’s not how it works’,” Cauthen recounted.

Cauthen charged that after word leaked that the matter had been reported to authorities, the American was taken from his cell and assaulted and his life threatened by persons dressed in “dark clothing and face coverings”.

Since the allegations emerged, Benoit was transferred to another lock-up, the St James police commander confirmed.

A senior US Embassy official, who made the unannounced visit to see Benoit, reported that he was “able to observe Mr Benoit’s head injury and listen to his depiction of the events of the assault”, according to correspondence with FFF executives.

“The injury was visible and Mr Benoit’s story was consistent with a guard losing his temper and striking Mr Benoit with a baton or other blunt object. We will be bringing Mr Benoit’s allegations to higher authorities in the JCF to protest the alleged assault,” it said.

Embassy officials also promised to request additional supervision and a full medical evaluation for the American.

livern.barrett@gleanerjm.com