A CCTV technician on Monday (September 29) testified that Constable Noel Maitland asked to review surveillance footage from his Chelsea Manor apartment in New Kingston to determine whether a woman was seen leaving the premises between 11:00 am and 12:00 pm on July 12, 2022.

Maitland is currently on trial for murder and preventing the lawful burial of a corpse in connection with Donaldson’s presumed death.

That technician, who installed five CCTV cameras at the apartment for Maitland’s neighbour, said Maitland claimed he wanted to check the footage because a “sistren” had gone missing.

In his September 29 testimony, he said Maitland came to view the footage on July 14. At the time, he was unaware that the missing woman was Donna-Lee Donaldson, Maitland’s 24-year-old girlfriend.

Based on a technician’s statement, which was brought into evidence in the Home Circuit Court on Monday, he recalled questioning the accused about the specific timeframe he was inquiring about, but could not recall Maitland’s response.

“I recalled him saying he was sleeping when she left,” the technician stated.

Donaldson, a social media personality and customer service representative, was reported missing on July 13. She left her home on July 11 with Maitland and last spoke to relatives on July 12 while at his apartment.

Donaldson’s mother previously testified that she had spoken to her on the morning of July 12, while her brother said he had FaceTimed her briefly at 4:56 pm and that she was still at the apartment.

The technician said that while reviewing footage on July 14, he observed Maitland driving out of the complex after 2:00 p.m. on July 12.

Earlier in the trial, Maitland’s neighbour testified that the accused pressured him to delete surveillance footage showing Maitland entering the apartment complex twice between July 11 and 12 – once with a woman and later, alone.

“He seemed worried; he seemed to have great consternation,” the neighbour stated.

He said Maitland gave reasoning that he was undergoing a promotion evaluation and didn’t want footage of him “smoking a spliff” to raise red flags during background checks. The neighbour refused to comply with the request.

The CCTV technician’s statement was one of five read into evidence yesterday by agreement between the defence and prosecution.

Another statement, from a detective sergeant, revealed that a sofa was seized from Maitland’s apartment on July 21 after it had been taken to a Kingston car wash and power-washed.

A worker reported seeing what looked like “blood-like rice grain” oozing from the furniture when it was brought there by Maitland on July 13.

Other witness statements included that of an officer who had transported a forensic team to and from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Science to Maitland’s apartment, as well as a police officer who had been a part of a team that accompanied a truck driver to the car wash.

Earlier in the morning session, a detective sergeant testified that on July 27, 2022, he visited the law office in Kingston of Christopher Townsend, where he arrested Maitland, who, when cautioned for murder, reportedly stated, “Jah Jah”.

Townsend, while cross-examining the witness, suggested that his client was never cautioned and did not utter those words. However, the witness insisted that he had.

The officer further testified that during the arrest, he seized a “banger phone” belonging to Maitland that had been reportedly taken from his father, who was present.

The trial will continue today.