KINGSTON, Jamaica – Businessman Mordecai Buckley was freed in in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on charges of possession of cocaine, attempting to export cocaine, conspiracy to export cocaine, dealing in cocaine and trafficking.

He was found not guilty after a no-case submission by his attorneys Peter Champagnie KC and Samoi Campbell was upheld by presiding judge Paula Blake Powell.

The charges stemmed from a December 21, 2020, incident when a shipment that Buckley was attempting to export from the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston was found to have cocaine concealed in boxes of Foska Oats.

When arrested, Buckley told investigators that another man gave him the package for shipment to a Canadian address. Buckley then assisted the police by providing information on the man said to have given him the package, which resulted in the arrest of the co-accused, Delroy Johnson.

Crown witnesses gave evidence that Johnson had delivered the sealed boxes of oats to Buckley’s employees at a warehouse in Riverton, days prior to December 21.

Buckley was not there at the time the delivery was made, and he did not pick up the boxes until the morning of the shipment. There was no evidence that Buckley at any point examined the packages before taking them to the airport.

A witness from Jamaica Customs also agreed with Champagnie and Campbell during cross-examination, that the anomalies with the boxes were not readily apparent without putting the boxes through the scanner.

The case against Johnson continues and is scheduled for Monday, December 18 when his attorney, Thomas Shorter, is expected to make closing remarks.