Maitland’s neighbour to take stand

Constable Noel Maitland’s neighbour is expected to take the stand today in the ongoing trial in which the policeman has been charged in connection with the July 2022 disappearance and murder of his girlfriend, social media influencer Donna-Lee Donaldson.

The witness, who will be testifying via video link, was slated to start his evidence on Tuesday evening but was rescheduled to today in the Home Circuit Court before Justice Leighton Pusey.

The lawman is facing charges of murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse

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

Her mother, Sophia Lugg, previously testified that Maitland had picked her daughter up from home on July 11, 2022 and that she last spoke to Donaldson the following morning, but could not reach her after.

Lugg also testified that Maitland told her that Donaldson left his home on July 12 after they had a minor dispute.

Another witness, a close friend of Donaldson’s, told the court that she last spoke with her on July 12, as she was to collect some money from her to settle a bill at a restaurant. However, she said Donaldson later told her there would be a delay as she needed to collect the money first, which her father was sending from overseas.

The friend said she never heard from Donaldson again.

Meanwhile, during yesterday’s proceedings, the lone witness to take the stand, a former crime scene examiner from the Independent Commission of Investigations, told the court that she had visited Lugg’s home and had collected DNA samples from her.

The witness said she visited Lugg on July 26 with another investigator from the commission.

The court heard that the DNA sample, which was collected, sealed and labelled, was later handed over to the Institute of Forensic Science and Legal Medicine.

On Tuesday, another witness from the commission testified that he had travelled to The Bahamas in September 2022 to collect a statement and DNA sample from the father of the missing social media influencer

The witness, a director of complaints, testified that he collected the sample based on detailed instructions provided by the commission’s chief crime scene examiner.

However, while being grilled by defence attorney Christopher Townsend about his handling and knowledge of the procedure, the witness disclosed that he had no certification to collect the DNA sample.

The witness had also admitted that he had not obtained any identification from Donaldson’s father before collecting the sample.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com