By Paul A. Reid, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU:
SUSPENDED MONTEGO Bay police officer, Corporal Roy 'Spy' Robinson, was freed of assault charges in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on Monday, after the complainant withdrew the charges.
Cynthia Waite, of a Paradise, Norwood address told the court that she no longer wished to continue with the case. She told Resident Magistrate Wilson Smith that she wants "to forget about it. I don't want to continue with it," she said.
She told the court she was in no way related to the policeman and had not been induced "in any way" to drop the charges.
PROTESTED
Robinson, who was attacked and shot several times by a gunman recently, used a walking stick to support himself while he was in court. Ms. Waite, who was assaulted when she protested the manner in which Robinson was handling a man he had apprehended in May 2001, had attempted to drop the charges some time ago, but was told by Resident Magistrate Valerie Stephens that she had to do it from the witness box under oath and had set Monday's date.
The Director of Public prosecutions (DPP) had ruled, in July 2002, that Robinson be charged for assault occasioning bodily harm arising from the May 2001 incident that took place on William Street.
It was heard that on the day in question, Robinson was in the process of apprehending a man and was using what Ms. Waite thought to be excessive force and she protested. It is understood that Robinson was in the process of boxing and kicking the man, when Ms Waite told him he should not be in the police force because of his behaviour. It is reported that Robinson then kicked the woman in her lower stomach and she had to seek medical attention.
Robinson is still suspended, as he is also facing charges of breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act along with another police officer, woman constable Curline Campbell stemming from a November 21, 1998 incident.
The prosecution, the court heard the last time the case was called up, was awaiting documents from the DPP's office.
