And while that looks like a public fumble, the police also has few other embarrassments that they must manage. The latest happened in Corozal, where a police officer is being accused of tampering with evidence.
A police corporal reported to his bosses that at around 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, he placed a urine sample he collected from a defendant in a special refrigerator at the Corozal Police Station's traffic office. This urine sample was supposed to have been used in the prosecution of an alcohol related offence.
He returned about half hour later only to find out that the sample went missing, along with the chain of custody form for it. He began making checks, on all the officers who were around at the time. That's when he found out that Constable Ismael Monima, an officer attached to the Corozal Police Station, was in the office at the time. At around 8 the next morning, Monima handed over the missing specimen to a co-worker. And within a day, the police arrested and charged him with perverting the course of justice.
That's a serious offense, and he is being accused of abusing public trust, in an attempt to destroy evidence.
It has triggered an internal investigation by the Professional Standards Branch.
Today, we spoke with the new commander, Assistant Police Commissioner Chester Williams who told us that the department is closely inspecting the incident:
ACP Chester Williams, OC - Professional Standards Branch
"A corporal of police in Corozal Town reported that on August 10th, they had conducted an operation within Corozal during which they had arrested a male person for an alcohol-related offense, as a result of which urine sample was obtained from the individual, so as to ascertain the level of alcohol content the person may have. That sample was placed in a refrigerator in the traffic office around 5 a.m. on the 10th. Around 5p.m. on the said date, the corporal went to make checks in the refrigerator and discovered that the urine sample was missing from the refrigerator. He immediately reported the matter to his superior who then reported the matter to my office and an investigation was launched into the matter. During the course of the investigation, statements were obtained from persons within the police station who have seen PC Monima inside the traffic office searching, just prior to the sample going missing. On August 11th, about 7:50 a.m. thereabout, PC Monima returned the urine sample to another corporal, as a result of which he was later arrested and charged for the crime of perverting the course of justice. He was taken to the magistrate's court this morning, I am not familiar what the result of that is, but he has also been interdicted from duty in respect to that matter."
"From a police standpoint and the Commission of Police have also echoed it, that when it comes to police corruption, that it will not be tolerated in any shape or form. And conduct like these are basically what the public trust in confidence in our department to be able to proper investigate and bring in people to justice. And so yes we look at this as a very serious matter, hence the reason why the officer in question was dealt with rather swiftly, because we need the others to get the message` that when it comes to things like this, we are not going to hesitate to deal with our own to ensure that we maintain certain degree of trust and confidence in the public. Because after all perception is a funny thing and we want to be able to remove any perception that we are here to cover for our own when they have done wrong."
Seen here in this footage, Constable Monima was arraigned late this evening in Orange Walk Magistrate's Court. Our colleagues from CTV 3 News say that it happened very late, most likely in the hopes of dodging the awaiting press, which is standard treatment when police officers are arrested and charged for crimes.
Police refuse to discuss which case the urine sample was for, but we do know that late last week, Corozal police arrested and charged a barber from San Joaquin, Derwill Linarez with the little used offense of kept a firearm under the influence of alcohol. On Friday the OC for Corozal discussed the case:..
Supt. Sinquest Martinez - OC, Corozal Police
"Yes we did arrest an individual from San Joaquin Village in respect to kept firearm while under influence of alcohol. So my advice to all firearm license holders, if you want to go and take a drink, or if you go into any bar, my advice for you all is to leave your firearm at home and don't take it along with you. Because as long as police finds you under the influence and you have your firearm, you will be arrested and charged likewise."
Again, police would not comment to say if the urine sample was from the Linares case.
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