49-year-old deputy superintendent gets bail on charge of assault of female officer

Jamaica: Gary Chambers, a Forty-nine-year-old deputy superintendent of police assigned to the Marine Division, has been offered bail at the amount of $100,000 against the charge of indecent assault.

He was offered bail from St Catherine Parish Court when he appeared with his lawyer, Queen’s Counsel Peter Champagnie. The charge followed a new ruling made by the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions.

Chambers has the allegation of assaulting a female officer in October of 2016 whilst on a journey with her in a motor car. Five months after, the female made a formal report to the Centre for Investigation of Sexual Offences and Child Abuse – (CISOCA).

In his application for bail, Champagnie invited the court to note the date of the alleged incident to the time when the formal report was made; that is, the report was made after five months.

He further stressed that all completely this period, his client was available and, in fact had himself expressed concerns formally, about the lack of progress of the investigations when it came to his attention months after October 2016 when he was passed over for promotion within the force.

He then highlighted that the allegation made by the lady on his instructions from his client was unfounded and rooted in hate. Chambers is to return to court on – December 3, 2021, when it is likely that the prosecution will be in a position to agree to a trial date.

Jamaica rape rate was at the level of 21.3 cases per – 100,000 population in the year of 2015, down from the – 25.3 cases per 100,000 population the previous year; this is a change of 15.52 per cent.

However, the number of sentenced sex offenders registered in Jamaica has almost doubled over the last three years; as per to the new data, specialists believe it still not shows the right picture of it.