Man borrows soldier uniform to impress girls
Eager to boost his chances of being released from prison on parole, a Corporate Area man pleaded guilty to being unlawfully in possession of a Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) uniform. Zidon Smith reportedly borrowed the uniform from his soldier friend in order to try and impress girls.
He is currently serving a prison sentence for illegal possession of firearm stemming from a 2022 incident in which he was found with a JDF-issued uniform and an illegal gun. The uniform is said to belong to Fabian Mitchell.
The Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court last Thursday heard that on October 26, 2022, Smith was driving a Honda Civic in the Olympic Gardens, St Andrew area in the vicinity of a checkpoint when the police noticed that the vehicle spun around and sped off. The vehicle was subsequently intercepted in the Corporate Area. During a search of the car, an illegal firearm and a knapsack containing the uniform were allegedly discovered.
Mitchell, in a caution statement, reportedly said, “I gave Zidon Smith a set of JDF uniform because he wanted to impress girls.”
The men were charged with unauthorised use and dealing in military decoration, aiding and abetting unauthorised use of military decoration, conspiracy to deceive, and false pretence.
Last Thursday, Smith’s attorney, Shadae Bailey, told Senior Parish Judge Lori-Anne Cole-Montaque of her client’s desire to plead guilty at the earlest opportunity.
“He wants to shorten proceedings, Your Honour. He is serving a three-year sentence for illegal possession of firearm, and has parole board in March. He wants to have a clean slate by then,” Bailey submitted on behalf of Smith.
“He wants to deal with this matter by then [March] because if he misses it, he may have to wait until September,” Bailey added.
Judge Cole-Montaque acceded to the lawyer’s request, and the prosecutor and Bailey agreed that Smith should return to court on February 15 for sentencing. He was remanded until then.
Mitchell, who is on $500,000 bail, is to return to court on March 10.