Glenroy Sinclair and Tashieka Mair, Gleaner Reporters
NARCOTICS DETECTIVES are probing the circumstances under which a Colombian national, Ruben Santa María Hernández, has obtained an annual work permit for the past three years, without being known to a local football club to which he was supposed to have been contracted.
Documents in the possession of the police suggest that Mr. Hernández entered the island after receiving authorisation in 2003 to represent the Montego Bay, St. James-based Wadadah Football Club.
But yesterday, Wadadah's football coach, Anthony Williams, said it was the first time he was hearing of Mr. Hernández.
"Nobody by that name has ever represented the club," said Mr. Williams, who has been associated with the club for the past 15 years.
Head of the Narcotics Division, Senior Superintendent Carlton Wilson, said the 29-year-old Colombian was arrested on March 8 after the police raided his apartment in Guango Grove, Montego Bay, and found US$89,000 (J$5.8 million) and J$4.7 million.
He was offered bail in the sum of J$500,000 when he appeared in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court Tuesday on charges of unlawful possession of money. The court ordered him to surrender his travel documents and report twice per week to the Freeport police.
The Colombian national was jailed less than a year, after he was acquitted of similar offences. Last year, his home on Leaders Avenue was searched and a total of US$355,000 (J$23 million) was found.
Yesterday, Alvin McIntosh, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, said he would have to research this particular case before making any comment.
FALSE INFORMATION
About 1:15 p.m. on March 8 the police, armed with a warrant, went to Mr. Hernández's home. A search of the premises was carried out and two plastic bags and a carton box containing the money were found in a closet. He was arrested and charged after he was unable to give a suitable explanation as to how he acquired the money.
His attorney, Trevor Ho-Lyn, argued in court that the money found on the second occasion was the same money returned to him when he was acquitted last year. He further explained that his client had converted a portion of the money into the J$4.7 million. Mr. Ho-Lyn also informed the court that his client had been kidnapped while residing in Colombia because he was from a wealthy family.
