Three law enforcement officers face assault charges in Jamaica — Indecom

Two JCF constables and a correctional officer have appeared in court on separate assault charges following Indecom investigations. The cases bring the total of officers charged in 2026 to 18.

Two constables and correctional officer charged after Indecom probes

The Jamaica Observer reports that two Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) constables and one correctional officer have appeared in court on assault-related charges stemming from three separate investigations conducted by the Independent Commission of Investigations (Indecom).

Constable Omari Gooden appeared before the St Catherine Parish Court on September 22, 2026, charged with unlawful wounding under section 39 of the Offences Against the Person Act. The charge relates to an alleged assault on July 30, 2020, on Burke Road in St Catherine, in which the complainant sustained injuries to his lip, neck and right flank during a dispute over vehicular damage. The complainant was himself also charged in connection with the incident. After mediation failed, both parties were bound over to return to court on November 13, 2026, for case management.

Constable Akino Pennycooke, who was off-duty at the time, appeared before the same court on September 25, 2026, also facing a charge of unlawful wounding. The charge arises from an alleged assault at a residence in Portmore, St Catherine, on December 22, 2025. Medical reports indicate the complainant suffered lacerations, at least one of which required sutures. That matter is listed to return on November 6, 2026.

Correctional Officer Tyrone Palmer appeared by summons before the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on September 23, 2026, charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The alleged assault took place on July 24, 2025, at the Horizon Adult Remand Centre, where Palmer is said to have used force against a detainee after contraband was found and seized. Medical evidence shows the complainant suffered a rupture to the central portion of his left eardrum, which has since healed. The case returns to court on November 24, 2026.

In each instance, Indecom submitted its findings to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), which directed that charges be laid.

The three new cases bring the total number of law enforcement officers charged in 2026 following Indecom investigations to 18 — comprising 16 JCF members, including one former constable, and two correctional officers. The charges span both fatal shooting and assault investigations.

In a related development, Constable Patrick Walters was scheduled to appear before the Home Circuit Court on September 25 for sentencing after pleading guilty to manslaughter and using a firearm to commit a felony. The sentencing was postponed to October 2, 2026. Walters's plea relates to the fatal shooting of D'Jonnay Graham on June 25, 2025, in Essex district, Richmond, St Mary — a case also investigated by Indecom and referred to the ODPP, which directed charges be laid on July 17, 2025.

Source: Jamaica Observer