KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) has apologised for wrongly identifying a man as being wanted for murder, saying it has taken steps to prevent the recurrence of such errors in the future.

In a statement on Friday, the JCF acknowledged that it had incorrectly used an image of construction worker Alando Gray in their Wanted Wednesdays campaign, in which it stated that Gray was wanted for a murder committed in Portmore, St Catherine.

The morning after his image was erroneously published, Gray turned himself in at the Mandeville Police Station with his father and a pastor to clear his name. Gray said in a TVJ News report that he was taken into custody and transferred to police in Portmore during which he was allegedly berated by cops and accused of being a “killer”.

Gray was eventually released after four days in custody and said he now lives in fear of his life due to the mix-up.

According to the JCF, the error occurred due to the existence of another individual with the identical name who is, in fact, wanted in connection with a murder investigation.

“We deeply regret this mistake and offer our sincerest apologies to Mr Alando Gray, recognising any inconvenience or distress this may have caused,” the JCF said.

It said it has since conducted a thorough review of its internal processes and quality management systems to ensure the accuracy and integrity of all information released to the public.

“We are committed to preventing any recurrence of such errors in the future. As always, we remain dedicated not only to reducing crime and ensuring public safety but also to upholding the human rights and civil liberties of every individual,” the JCF said.