JCF Explores New Leads In Donaldson’s Case, Constable Smith Not Implicated

July 28, 2022

According to updates from the Jamaica Gleaner in an article previewed on their official Instagram as a post, after Noel Maitland, boyfriend of missing Social Media Influencer Donna-Lee Donaldson was arrested Yesterday July 27, the police have now broadened their investigation into Donaldson’s disappearance as they believe that the female District Constable Kathy-ann Smith is no longer a person of interest.

This development in the case is being labelled as a “dramatic twist” by law enforcers.

A senior police source reported that the development may be an epoch-making moment in the following days as further inquiries are made by the investigative team now that a prime suspect has been identified.

The arrest treads on the heels of the review session with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP – Paula Llwelleyn) and other senior prosecutors on Tuesday, July 26. Maitland was taken into custody by members of the Counter-Terrorism and Organized Crime unit, sources say, because evidence reviewed from no less than three separate visits to the apartment of Constable Maitland is not consistent with his statements about Donaldson’s finals hours there.

Reports say that there was also continuing evaluation of Maitland’s behaviour before the disappearance of Donaldson on July 12. Sophia Lugg, the mother of Donaldson, reported her daughter missing on July 13 following her lack of communication after being picked up by Maitland at her home on Monday, July 11, 2022.

Currently, the 20-plus hours of security footage at the apartment are still being reviewed, and the Attorney representing Maitland in the investigation, Christopher Townsend, states that he does not know anything about the evidence tying his client to the case. He further noted that it is not uncommon for a person of interest to be arrested during an investigation but that it all boils down to the nature of the evidence which he is unaware of because the investigative team seems to be hoarding their knowledge.

Townsend states that in certain cases, the evidence presented in court is insufficient and thus the case is thrown out due to lack of evidence and he believes that information gathered on his client by the police, is only based on suspicion.

The investigation has attracted nationwide attention with the rise in protests from family members, friends, and supporters who call for justice and a fast track to the investigation. The upsurge in “people power” has engaged multiple supporters such as the People’s Nation Party Women’s Movement and an array of social media personalities. The situation is being compared to a media circus.

District Constable Kathy-ann Smith (mother of Maitland’s child) was largely and publicly scrutinized along with Maitland after Donaldson disappeared, but police have publicized that there is no evidence linking her to the investigation. Oswest Senior-Smith said that he is not shocked that there was no evidence found against his client, Constable Smith, but is nevertheless waiting to see how things play out.

Senior-Smith stated that his client will remain off frontline duty and away from the public’s eyes for her safety and that he knows there is a lot of “pressure” and “clamouring” going on and that he waits “with bated breath” to witness what the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) will do.

A certain commenter replied to The Gleaner‘s Instagram post by stating “baby other links bigger, Noel don’t want his child to be motherless so him go take it fi ar.” Another commenter said “somebody must be trying to claim that reward money being offered… that Kathy guilty too. She’ll meet her karma one day. God is real and watching.”