Hotel bar sting by Police was not recorded, detective tells court
By Elizabeth Roberts
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Damon Francis is said by prosecutors to have been caught in a Police sting after being involved in an alleged cannabis plot.
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Photo by Mark Tatem
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A detective admitted it might have been better for an undercover officer to wear a recording wire when he staked out a hotel bar during a drug operation.
The Supreme Court heard on Monday how the covert operation was arranged after Anthony Isaac, a passenger on the Norwegian Dawn cruise ship, was found with 32 packages of cannabis in his cabin on June 17.
Damon Francis, 32, from Warwick, now stands accused of conspiring with "persons unknown" prior to the date of the discovery to import the drugs to Bermuda. He denies the charge.
Opening the case against Francis on Tuesday, prosecutor Takiyah Burgess explained that Mr. Isaac was co-operative when he was interviewed by the Police after the cruise ship stash was found.
The next day he used a pay phone to call Francis' cell phone and arranged to meet him at the Jasmine Lounge at the Fairmont Southampton hotel.
However, an undercover detective named Rickson Wiltshire was sent to the hotel bar to pose as Mr. Isaac instead, with other officers posted in strategic positions.
According to the case for the prosecution, Francis walked into the bar and engaged Det. Con. Wiltshire in conversation. It's alleged that the subject of payment came up, and when the defendant was asked if he had the money, he said said he had to go and get it at which point he was arrested.
Quizzing lead investigator Det. Con. Mathurin over the covert operation, defence lawyer Charles Richardson asked if it would have been better to get Det. Con. Wiltshire to wear a wire, so the conversation could have been recorded.
"That decision was above me," replied the officer, "but considering the time factor and getting all the equipment in place, it was not feasible. We wanted there to be a surprise element." However, he agreed with Mr. Richardson's suggestion that "by not tape recording that conversation, you've deprived this jury of the best evidence".
The case continues.
