Businessman charged for allegedly holding taxi driver at gunpoint

A 25-year-old businessman has been charged after he allegedly forced a taxi operator at gunpoint to wait while he and his associates burnt an object wrapped in tarpaulin.

The police say about 8:20 p.m., on May 1, Kamal McDonald chartered a man's taxi and instructed him to take him and several other persons to another section of St Catherine.

They reportedly loaded something wrapped in a tarpaulin into the trunk.

The police say when the taxi operator stopped the car, the men disembarked and removed the wrapped tarpaulin from the trunk.

McDonald then allegedly brandished a firearm, pointed it at the taxi driver and ordered him not to move until they were through burning what was removed from the trunk.

McDonald later reportedly instructed the man to take them back to where he had picked them up.

Following an investigation, McDonald was removed from a flight and taken into custody on June 7.

The police say, with his permission, his phone was reviewed and found to contain personal information of persons living overseas.

McDonald was charged on Saturday with assault at common law, possession of a prohibited weapon and possession of identity information.

The police say a court date is being arranged for him.

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