EDITORIAL - Another matter to address, Mr Ellington

We note Police Commissioner Owen Ellington's detailed review, and robust defence, of the constabulary's handling of the Khajeel Mais murder case, including its decision not to publicly declare as a 'person of interest' the owner of the BMW X6 SUV from which Mais was allegedly shot, even though the vehicle's owner could not be found.

Many people see double standard on the part of the police in their action in this case, given how they, in other circumstances, have named persons who could help in their investigations. The police's critics conclude wealth and/or social and political connections, or lack thereof, as accounting for the difference.

We make no comment on these assumptions, preferring, at least for now, to take Mr Ellington at his word.

What, however, concerns us is how Mr Ellington seems to have glossed over the raid of the home of a senior police officer in connection with this case, about which we have previously commented.

"Intelligence gathered by our analysts led to another search operation, this time at the house of one of our officers," Mr Ellington said. "As commissioner of police, I unequivocally state that the JCF (Jamaica Constabulary Force) will act on all credible information, no matter where it might lead or whom it might affect."

And that, apparently, was that. Except, it can't be. Not if Mr Ellington wishes to own the credibility he claims for the JCF, which we are eager to give, once it is earned.

No simple matter

It is not a simple matter for the home of a senior officer of the constabulary to be searched in relation to an egregious crime and the public hears nothing more.

First, Mr Ellington implied that this search was based on credible information. Second, we assume that it would have been sanctioned by a senior officer, if not Mr Ellington himself.

If that is the case, and an investigation is ongoing, we would expect, as we said previously, that the officer, who remains unnamed, would have been suspended from his job - because it is the ethical thing to do, as well as to limit his ability to interfere with the investigation.

Or, if the investigation has been completed and the officer has been exonerated, the public has a right to know, if we are to have trust in the officer and the JCF.

Either way, Mr Ellington still has some explaining to do.

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