Daley takes the witness stand

Police Superintendent Harry Daley today spent hours on the witness stand of the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court defending himself in a corruption case.



After giving evidence in the morning session, Superintendent Daley was back on the witness for cross-examination this afternoon.



He was questioned by his lawyer Valerie Neita Robertson.



Superintendent Daley has been charged with six counts of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act.



He’s being tried in the Corporate Area Court on one count with the others slated to be heard in the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate’s Court.



The corruption trial now underway involves complainant Tafari Clarke.



Mr Clarke is claiming that Superintendent Daley had forced him to pay over protection money for a plaza in Ewarton.



However, today superintendent Daley testified that the money that Clarke was paying over was a loan repayment on behalf of the complainant’s deceased uncle.



Superintendent Daley said he had lent $250,000 to Clarke’s uncle Leonard Miller to start a block factory.



He said Miller had agreed to repay the sum, but he died before he could start.



According to Superintendent Daley after the death, Miller’s family agreed to repay the money.





Superintendent Daley testified that Miller’s son started to make the payment but he too later died.



As a result, Superintendent Daley said Tafari Clarke had assumed the responsibility to make the payments.



Today, Superintendent Daley also complained that at the time of his arrest on July 31 last year he was never cautioned by the police.



He also complained that sections of the video recording of his alleged collection of the protection money were not shown in court.



The case continues tomorrow.