It was Maitland who urged me to report Donna-Lee missing, mother testifies

Sophia Lugg, the mother of Donna-Lee Donaldson, this morning testified that it was her daughter’s boyfriend, Constable Noel Maitland, who had urged her to report her missing to the police when she became concerned about her disappearance.

"Mum you need to go to the police station because this is unlike Donna," Lugg recalled Maitland saying, as she resumed her testimony in the Home Circuit Court, where Maitland is on trial.

Donaldson, 24, a popular influencer, swimwear entrepreneur, and customer service representative, was reported missing on July 13.

She was last seen at Maitland’s apartment two days earlier.

Lugg earlier testified that Maitland had picked up Donna-Lee from home on July 11 and that she last spoke to her daughter on the following morning but could not reached her after.

Maitland is being tried on charges of murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse in connection with the woman's murder.

Continuing her testimony today in the court, Lugg said Maitland insisted that she reported the matter and asked her what station she would be visiting.

This, she said, happened after he called and told her that he spoke with the camera guy at his apartment and was informed that several vehicles were seen exiting and entering the compound but that the faces of the drivers could not be seen on the security camera as the car glasses were wound up.

"I told him that was stupidity," she remembered telling Maitland.

"I told him that it doesn't make sense because the cars must have stopped at the security point when leaving and entering and they should look in the car."

Maitland, in response, ended the conversation saying he would call back, which he did 45 minutes later, the woman testified.

"By then he started insisting and encouraging me that I report the matter," she said.

Lugg said she became convinced that something happened to her daughter when Maitland called her half hour later enquiring which station she was going.

The witness said she went to the Half-Way-Tree Police Station in St Andrew with her son and that while there Maitland called asking her which station she decided on and she told him where she was.

Lugg said within five minutes Maitland and a policewoman, Kathy Ann Smith, showed up at the station and that while she waited, Maitland was observed speaking with her son for a short while.

However, she said while she was giving a statement Maitland came into the room and said he had to leave as something came up.

But, she said he gave the officer his number to contact him for a statement.

Lugg also testified that while she was at the station waiting to give the statement Maitland told a female inspector that he did not know who Donaldson had left with when she left his home and that the officer told him,"Come better dan dat, yuh know betta dan dat."

- Tanesha Mundle

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