Cooking oil heist case transferred to Gun Court

The case in which a policeman and a construction worker are accused of robbing cooking oil from a truck has been transferred to the Gun Court Division in Kingston for a March  30 mention date.

Those charged are Detective Corporal Maurice Whittingham of the Jamaica Constabulary Force's National Intelligence Bureau and Michael Daley of a Spanish Town address.

When the matter came upon for mention before Parish Judge Nicole Kellier in the St Catherine Parish Court, Whittingham, who is on $750,000 bail, appeared in court in a wheelchair.

It was revealed  that he has spinal injuries, which will require surgery. It was further explained that he was not able to walk.

His bail was extended on condition that he reports on Saturdays to the Olympic Gardens Police Station.

His accomplice was remanded in custody.

It is alleged that on Saturday, December 17, 2022, Whittingham and his co-accused, who was reportedly dressed in police paraphernalia, stopped a delivery truck along the Spanish Town Bypass in St Catherine.

The truck, which is owned by Seprod Limited, was laden with cooking oil valued at more than $3 million.

It is alleged that Whittingham approached the driver of the truck and asked about his documents then took him to a Honda motor car and drove away.

The truck with the sidemen was later located in the community of Thetford, near Old Harbour.

A subsequent report was made and an investigation was launched, which resulted in the arrests of Whittingham and Daley.

Further investigation led to them being charged with robbery with aggravation and kidnapping.

-Rasbert Turner

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