Compol reacts to suspension of Sr. Superintendent
Last night we reported that Deputy Officer in Charge of Eastern Division, Senior Superintendent Robert Mariano is on suspension after he was fingered for a case of contraband Jamaican Appleton rum last month. According to Commissioner of Police, Gerald Westby, Mariano’s suspension came after an internal investigation.
Gerald Westby, Commissioner of Police
“The investigation was conducted by Assistant Commissioner Whiley and thereafter we made a recommendation to the Services Commission who has the authority that he be suspended pending a hearing and that has been done.”
Marion Ali
“Senior Superintendent Mariano has claimed all along that he knew nothing of the rum being in his vehicle or he knew nothing of the person who put it there; he doesn’t know the person who put it there. Are you saying the investigations have shown differently?”
Gerald Westby
“Well, we have the evidence and I don’t want to prejudge the hearing that will be done by the Services Commission but we do have evidence and Mr. Mariano equally will be given an opportunity to give his side of the story too.”
Marion Ali
“He had started also two projects that come to mind; the one with the Special Constables and I think another with a Commission involving citizens advising the department on ways of improving neighbourhood watch. What happens to those projects?”
Gerald Westby
“Those projects will be continued and I must say that Mr. Mariano, in fairness to him, had done a commendable job with community policing and I want to reflect that. It’s regrettable that the incident did occur but we have to deal with it as it arose, noh.”
The incident in question allegedly occurred on November seventeenth when police detected Corozal businessman, Israel Rancharan, putting the case of rum in Mariano’s police vehicle in the Coney Drive Area. Mariano was stopped and searched shortly after and the liquor was confiscated. But even when Rancharan said he knew Mariano and admitted delivering the rum to him, the officer, maintained that he did not know Rancharan.
