District Constable Ackeno Barnes, formerly of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), was last Thursday, December 14, sentenced to six months imprisonment at hard labour or a fine of $100,000, stemming from his earlier conviction in the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court, for the charge of Larceny as a Servant.
On March 14 this year, the Major Organised Crime & Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) secured a guilty verdict against Barnes, following his arrest and charge in 2012, for utilizing the petrol advance card designated for JCF service vehicles to pay for fuel for his personal motor vehicle. The trial, which began in 2016, relied heavily on a comprehensive investigation by MOCA agents, as well as critical testimony from six witnesses.
In delivering the sentence, presiding judge at the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court, Chief Parish Judge, His Honour Mr. Chester Crooks, commended the MOCA team for its professionalism, thoroughness and dedication in carrying out the investigation, as well as its helpfulness to the courts.
MOCA is Jamaica’s newest law enforcement agency and is charged with targeting public sector corruption and organized crime. Its members are committed to upholding the law, maintaining public trust, and ensuring that justice is served without compromise.