Sat | Jul 26, 2025
DONNA-LEE DONALDSON MURDER TRIAL

Defence grills INDECOM witness over DNA sample

Published:Wednesday | May 21, 2025 | 12:11 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter

A witness from the Independent Commission of Investigations, who had travelled to The Bahamas to collect a statement and DNA sample from the father of missing social media influencer Donna-Lee Donaldson, disclosed yesterday that he was not certified to conduct the buccal swab.

The investigator, a director of complaints, had testified in his evidence-in-chief that he collected the sample based on detailed instructions provided by the agency’s chief forensic officer.

However, while being grilled by defence attorney Christopher Townsend about his handling and knowledge of the procedure, he disclosed that he had no certification to collect the DNA sample.

Townsend further enquired from the witness whether he had washed his hands prior to collecting the sample and whether he was aware that his hands must be washed.

The witness said he was not aware he had to wash his hands before collecting the DNA as he followed the instructions that he received and wore gloves.

“Your hands were never clean,” Townsend said.

The witness said, “In my opinion, they were.”

Following further questions, the witness explained that he washed his hands before leaving his hotel – approximately 30 to 35 minutes before the collection – and during that time, had only touched a car door and keys.

Townsend sought to confirm from the witness whether his hands could have been contaminated when he came in contact with those items, but the witness said he was unable to say as he was not an expert.

The witness, during further cross, admitted that he had not obtained any identification from Donaldson’s father while collecting the sample.

Donaldson, 24, a popular influencer, swimwear entrepreneur, and customer service representative, was reported missing on July 13.

Her boyfriend, Constable Noel Maitland, is on trial in the Home Circuit Court for murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse in connection with her death.

MOTHER’S TESTIMONY

Donaldson’s mother, Sophia Lugg, previously testified that Maitland had picked up her daughter from home on July 11, 2022, and that she last spoke to her daughter the following morning but could not reach her after.

Lugg had told the court that Maitland told her that Donaldson left his home on July 12 after they had a minor dispute.

One of Donaldson’s close friends said she also spoke to her on July 12 as she was to collect some money from her to settle a bill at a restaurant where she had celebrated her birthday. However, she said Donaldson later told her that there would be a delay as she needed to collect the money first, which her father was sending from overseas.

The friend said she never heard from Donaldson again.

The father, a retired physician and surgeon, in his statement read by the INDECOM witness, said he, too, last spoke to his daughter on July 12, after 1 p.m. He said he first saw a missed call from her followed by a WhatsApp message.

After a conversation, the father said she sent him a WhatsApp message with the correct spelling of her name at 1:11 p.m.

According to him, he sent her the money on July 13 after 10 a.m. and messaged her the tracking number. However, he said the message had only one tick, which meant that it was not delivered and that he found it strange as she would normally quickly acknowledge the message with a “Thank you, dad” message.

The father, in the statement, also indicated that Donaldson was the last of his six children and they would regularly talk.

However, the father’s sister, an attorney, during her evidence which was done via video link, shared that her brother passed away in January 2024. She confirmed that Donaldson was one of his children but that they had never spoken with each other.

Meanwhile, Donaldson’s close friend, before ending her testimony yesterday morning, told the court that she was of the impression that Donaldson was on the road when they last spoke on the day she vanished.

The witness, under cross-examination from Townsend, said she formed the view based on the sounds of cars and noise she could hear in the background.

The witness also said she was aware that Donaldson and the mother of Maitland’s child had an ongoing dispute.

The trial continues today.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com