Court Date Set for US$270K Smuggling Case | Jamaica News

[00:00:10]Good afternoon, my real news media TV family. Welcome back to the channel for another news update for Friday, June 19, 2026.

[00:00:21]And in the news this afternoon, no breakthrough in probe of Negral Yoga instructors at death, says a police.

[00:00:31]Investigators have yet to establish a motive or make a breakthrough in the case of a 79year-old yoga instructor who was founded dead at her Negril home on Tuesday. The deceased has been identified as Faneta Johnson, a resident of Negril who taught yoga at a several hotels in the community. Originally from France and married to a Jamaican, Johnson had more than three decades of experience as a yoga instructor, having also taught in Paris and New York.

[00:01:02]According to police reports, residents discovered Johnson's body at her home about 700 a.m. and alerted authorities.

[00:01:11]Upon arrival, the police found her lying on the floor of her room in the house with bruises to her neck. Her body was removed to the mark and is now pending a postmortem examination to determine the cause of death. A senior police official told the news that while there is no breakthrough in the case as yet, a lot of work has been put into the investigation around the death of the tourist resident who has been living in Jamaica for more than a decade. The investigation is kind of inconclusive by virtue of what we have seen at the location because there were no obvious signs of break-in, stated a police official who added, "We are summarizing some things, but we cannot see certain things right now because the investigation is still young in relation to this."

[00:02:04]Man accused of hiding USA $270,000 in soap boxes back to court July 1. July one.

[00:02:14]A man accused of bringing more than US $270,000 into Jamaica hidden inside the soap boxes has been granted bail in the sum of $2 million and is to return to court on July 1. 34year-old Shaun Walker, originally from Crawford District, St. Elizabeth and now living in the United States, appeared before Judge Naticia Fairclaw Hilton when he returned to the St. James Parish Court on Tuesday. He is facing several charges including possession of criminal property, concealing criminal property, failure to comply with the requirements imposed by an order, and the crossber movement of funds. The case first came before the court on June 10 when the prosecution objected to bail citing concerns surrounding an ongoing overseas investigation. Prosecutors argued that the financial investigations division was in communication with the foreign investigators and that releasing Walker could interfere with those inquiries.

[00:03:19]The matter was adjourned to allow the prosecution to provide the court with additional information regarding the overseas investigation. During Tuesday's hearing, defense attorney Donovan Collins renewed his application for bail, outlining the charges against the walker and stating that his client denied allegations connected to three of the offenses. Collins reminded the prosecution that the bail should not be used as a form of punishment, arguing that the prosecution was effectively seeking to keep his client in custody while awaiting the outcome of an investigation being conducted in another jurisdiction. Judge Faircluff Hilton, who noting that some matters fell within the court's jurisdiction, later questioned the prosecution on several issues. Under the bail conditions imposed, Walker must report to a designated police station on specified days, surrender his travel documents, and remain subjected to a suborder preventing him from leaving the country through any port. The court also ordered that disclosure, the documents and information relating to the case, be provided to the defense to allow preparation for trial. The matter was set for case management on July 1. The court heard that Walker arrived at the Sanger International Airport from the United States on June 7 at approximately 11:55 a.m. During a routine luggage screening, customs officers allegedly identified irregularities leading to a search of his bags. Investigators reported that US $270,580 was found concealed inside the 28 boxes of a popular brand of soap. According to customs officials, Walker failed to declare the money on his C5 form, indicating that he was not carrying more than the $10,000 allowed. When questioned, Walker reportedly said the funds were generated from his trucking business and represented proceeds from the sale of four semi-trail trucks. He said the money was intended to assisted with the purchase of a house in St. Elizabeth and a motor vehicle. However, investigators said documents presented to support his explanation were not in Walker's name and that he was unable to provide a satisfactory account for the fund. The money was seized and Walker was arrested and accushioned by members of the anti lottery scam task of force. His Apple iPhone was also taken into police custody. Investigators said Walker initially provided the password for the phone allowing a preliminary examination of the device. They alleged that the review uncovered identity related information connected to several overseas individuals. However, after the phone later became locked, Walker reportedly refused to provide access again. Walker was subsequently detained on suspicion of breaches under the law reform and the poker legislation.

[00:06:30]Investigators later obtained a production order requiring him to provide the phone password within 48 hours. Authorities said Walker claimed that the phone belonged to his mother and that he did not know the password.

[00:06:44]Investigators maintained that the devices seized was the only phone taken from Walker and was the same device he had previously unlocked. He was later charged after participating in a question and answer session conducted in the presence of his attorney.

[00:07:04]Opposition urges prime minister to remove Wheatley from cabinet.

[00:07:11]Prime Minister Andrew Holes is facing fresher scrutiny over whether he appointed Dr. Andrew Whitley to the cabinet while knowing he was under investigation by the Integrity Commission. The opposition People's National Party raised the question during its press briefing on Thursday afternoon. The Integrity Commission has recommended that Dr. Wheatley be charged with four criminal offenses, including illicit enrichment. Dr. Wheatley the member of parliament for St. Catherine South Central serves as minister without a portfolio in the office of the prime minister with responsibility for science technology and the special projects. He previously served as a minister of science technology and mining but resigned in July 2018 amid the controversies and investigations concerning the operations of the state-owned oil refinery Petrojam. Mr. Holmes reappointed Dr. Wheatley to the cabinet on September 17, 2025 following the general election. At the time, Dr. Wheatley denied that the move to reappoint him to the cabinet could be seen as a controversial, adding that he was fully vindicated from the Petetrojam related investigations.

[00:08:36]I I I don't see any controversy. I don't see any controversy. Controversy is the ambest.

[00:08:43]We I'm fully vindicated. I um I continue to serve my constituents over the years.

[00:08:49]I've I've I've won maybe three or four four elections and each time I increase my majesty speaks to my performance as member of parliament which is our first um responsibility as elected representative and um as I stated before I am committed to getting the work done and I I I'm very um pleased that prime minister has the confidence to to to appoint me to do the work that needs to be On Thursday, opposition Senator Cleveland Tomlinson said that Dr. Wheatley knew he was under investigation by the Integrity Commission for illicit enrichment before he was appointed to the cabinet. Citing the report, Senator Tomlinson said on January 29, 2024, a meeting was conducted with Dr. Wheatley and his attorney where he was served an illicit enrichment notice in respect of which he was required to provide an explanation to the commission.

[00:09:53]Two questions arise from that. Did the prime minister know when he was appointing him as minister without portfolio office of prime minister in September 2025 that he was under investigation for illicit enrichment?

[00:10:07]Did he hide that information from the prime minister? If he hid that information from the prime minister, it's more a reason for the prime minister to remove him from the cabinet.

[00:10:15]Now, if he shared that information with the prime minister, why did the prime minister appoint him not withstanding that knowledge? The prime minister has an obligation to not only dismiss him, but to tell the public if he knew that he was under investigation.

[00:10:31]>> There has been no public indication from Mr. Holes whether he had a prior knowledge of the probe. Meanwhile, opposition leader Mark Golding said the parliamentary opposition will be reaching out to civic organizations to join in the campaign to have Dr. Wheatley removed from the cabinet. This is the context in which we're operating in this country in terms of governance and it cannot be worsened by having somebody who's under the cloud of a criminal charge pending for serious matters like this being allowed to remain in the cabinet of the country which is the body in charge of the executive government of Jamaica. So we have called for this and we hope that all weling all wellthinking Jamaicans and all organizations that have an interest in national development and the good governance of the country will put some pressure on the government so that the right thing can be done.

[00:11:28]Guys, thank you for watching. See you this evening at 6 p.m. for another news update.

[00:11:36]Heat.

[00:11:49]Heat.