Pastor finds needles in plantains

A pastor who lives in St Catherine said he went to a market in Spanish Town last week to stock up on ground provisions, following the lockdown of the parish to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus.

But when he went home with his purchases, he got the shock of his life - he found multiple needles in plantains he had bought.

"I went to the market recently in Spanish Town ... about five days ago, and I bought some plantains and other stuff. I took them home and we boiled the plantains. Monday, we decided to fry the plantains, only to find out that in each plantain there were needles," he said, noting they were between three and five inches long.

The pastor said that he and his family narrowly escaped what could've been a painful and health-threatening experience.

"We could have ate the plantains and we would've ended up at the hospital. I want you to be careful first of all. I was told that this is a practice that is happening in Spanish Town. We were told that persons stole plantains from other persons' property and take it to sell in markets to persons outside," he said.

It is alleged that the owners of the plantains have put needles in these plantains, aimed at punishing thieves who make off with their produce.

"Be careful when you go out to shop ... be prayerful. I want us to be very careful, hence I am sharing it with you," he warned.

But Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Beau Rigabie, commanding officer for the St Catherine North Division, told THE STAR that no one has made any reports of that nature.

"We don't have any such reports. We have an agro team that relates to the farmers and there have been no such reports," SSP Rigabie said.

SSP Clive Blair, commanding officer for St Catherine South, also said, "I am not aware of that."