Cop rejects social media post, distances himself from incident in Linstead

Constable Fabian Graham had no foreshadowing that he, one day, would have become victim of what appears to be a malicious post on social media.

The cop, who hails from the Ewarton area of St Catherine, said all he did was to stand beside a schoolmate, who also is a police officer, for a photo to be captured during a public party in April.

That photo is now being circulated on social media, along with a voice message linking Graham’s schoolmate to a serious incident that unfolded recently in Linstead, St Catherine.

The person who created the social media post apparently took the photo from a Facebook page operated by Graham’s schoolmate, whose face is hidden in the edited photo posted here.

With Graham being in the photograph being circulated, some persons also have been pointing fingers at him.

Graham, who has been a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) for roughly 12 years, said he initially ignored the damaging social media post.

He later got a rude awakening when people in Jamaica and overseas started to contact him.

“At first, I wasn’t fazed by the picture [on social media] because I know I wasn’t involved in any wrongdoing,” Graham told Jamaica Beacon.

He further explained: “Within a couple of days, I started to receive multiple calls from co-workers, friends and family here and abroad, and persons on the streets telling me they saw my pic all over social media as a suspect. I know I am not involved [in criminal activity], but I have a good reputation and I don’t want that to be spoilt.”

This is the photo being circulated showing Fabian Graham (right) posing with his schoolmate at a party. We have not shown the schoolmate’s face as we have been unsuccessful in our attempts to make contact with him.

Meanwhile, Jamaica Beacon has been trying without success to contact Graham’s schoolmate who is in the photograph.

Graham yesterday said it is not far-fetched that they both ended up in a single photo at a party.

“I have known him from school days, so we just took a pic. Even my wife was there at the party beside me,” added Graham, a past-student of Charlemont High School in Linstead.

He is issuing a strong warning for persons to desist from posting or sharing such damaging posts on social media.

But Graham can actually get big bucks if he sues persons for defamation of character.

The police can also arrest and charge people under the Cyber Crimes Act if they knowingly or maliciously circulate certain photos.

The JCF, in a statement this morning, also issued a stern warning for members of the public to desist from sharing information on social media that can damage people’s reputation or compromise criminal investigations.

The police force further stated that, in recent weeks, police officers and several other people have complained that their images are being circulated on social media, wrongfully labelling them as criminal suspects.

The JCF said information about anyone suspected of being involved in a crime should be provided directly to the police – not posted on social media.

By Horace Mills

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