Maitland’s delivery man says he was ‘last to know what was going on’

A Kingston delivery man hired by Constable Noel Maitland to remove a sofa from his apartment, testified on Monday that the lawman appeared surprised when informed that the police had seized his truck.

According to the witness, Maitland later reassured him that the police were simply doing their job and that the vehicle would be returned, insisting that everything would be “okay”.

The delivery man, who claimed he was “the last man to know what was going on” and “was a fool to this thing”, also told the court that he had recorded two phone calls with Maitland and later shared them with investigators at the Criminal Investigations Branch (CIB) headquarters, because “some things wasn’t matching up”.

In earlier testimony, the witness said Maitland and a friend came to where he worked and requested the transportation of a one-piece, floral burgundy settee from Maitland’s New Kingston apartment to Half-Way Tree. The job was priced at $5,000.

He said he took the job and, along with a now-deceased co-worker, Carlos, completed the delivery. The settee was taken to a car wash.

However, less than a week later, the witness said Maitland contacted him, asking if he was going to pick up the settee from the upholsterer.

“I said, ‘Which upholstery?’” the witness recalled, noting that he was repeatedly pressed by Maitland before the conversation ended abruptly.

The court also heard that Maitland first called the delivery man while the latter was in bed at home about 7 a.m. The witness said he didn’t initially recognise the caller’s voice, and the person hung up. A second call was missed, but he answered the third.

CLUELESS ON SEIZURE OF TRUCK

Approximately an hour and a half later, Maitland reportedly called again.

“Him say if mi not coming to pick up the thing, so mi say, ‘How mi fi pick up anything when dem tek weh mi truck?’” the witness told the court.

He added that Maitland responded, “‘Wey dem tek weh yuh truck fa?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. That’s why I was asking the question myself’.’”

The witness testified that Maitland then indicated he would contact someone to find out the reason.

According to the delivery man, by that time the police had raided his mother’s home, where he resided, and seized his truck. He was informed during a visit to the station with his sister that the vehicle was being held as part of an investigation.

“When dem tek weh di truck, mi nuh know nothing ‘bout nothing,” he told the court.

He also testified that shortly after completing the delivery, he began seeing Maitland on social media and hearing “a bag of things”.

Maitland later called again, this time, the witness said, with a tone of irritation.

“Him call me back inna likkle attitude, like him a say mi not talking to him, like dem get to mi already and him nuh business who deh beside mi,” he said.

The witness also recalled Maitland mentioning that he had run into Carlos, who informed him that the police had taken the truck.

Maitland reportedly said he was simply calling to ask why the truck had been taken. The witness responded that he had the same question.

“Mi say mi nuh understand it. Mi duh work fi yuh. Police come tek weh mi truck, and all when mi ask dem, dem say it delicate,” he recounted.

In the meantime, the witness said the police had returned the truck about two weeks later.

Maitland is currently on trial for the murder of his girlfriend, 24-year-old Donna-Lee Donaldson, a popular social media influencer, swimwear entrepreneur, and customer service representative. Donaldson was reported missing on July 13, 2022, two days after she was last seen at Maitland’s New Kingston apartment.

Her mother previously testified that Maitland picked up Donaldson from her home on July 11. She last heard from her daughter the following morning and was unable to reach her afterwards.

The witness is expected to resume his testimony today.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com