A high-ranking police officer placed on restricted duties after being entangled last year in charges of gross misconduct is to be reinstated after an investigation into the matter.

Martin Weekes will return as Assistant Commissioner of Police on Monday in the wake of an independent inquiry, which included investigators brought in from overseas.

While there was no case to answer for the allegations of gross misconduct, an allegation of discreditable conduct from the same matter was reassessed.

This review ended in a direction of “management advice“ according to Order 18 (5b) of the Police Conduct Orders 2016.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Na’imah Astwood, who issued the statement, cited public interest in the matter as well as the need for transparency.

The case involved a conversation via WhatsApp in 2018 between Mr Weekes and a former police officer, Barry Richards.

The WhatsApp exchange became public after it was brought to court as evidence and subsequently referenced in a Court of Appeal judgment.

The case went to appeal after former Inspector David Greenidge sought to challenge a decision deeming him ineligible for the promotion process to chief inspector in 2018.

Mr Greenidge ultimately lost his case — but the WhatsApp messages included a reference by Mr Weekes to Mr Greenidge as being “difficult”, and included his uncomplimentary reference to Inspector Robert Cardwell, who had also applied to be promoted.

The court’s ruling described their exchange as “embarrassing” and “not in keeping with the high standards to be expected” of the Bermuda Police Service.

The judgment added that it was not “the kind of loose banter one would expect to be going on between senior officers of a disciplined force like the BPS”.

While the court did not accept Mr Greenidge’s basis of complaint, the ruling stated that “we feel compelled to record our concerns that this sort of conduct is not in keeping with the high standards to be expected of the BPS”.

An internal investigation into the matter was conducted by an officer from a British police force.

Darrin Simons, the Commissioner of Police, said it was carried out “with the aim of addressing the issue and ensuring there is no repeat in the future”.

Announcing the conclusion of the case, Ms Astwood said: “As a delegated appropriate authority in the Bermuda Police Service, I do not typically provide detailed outcomes for such matters.

“However, given the rank of ACOP Weekes, the public attention this matter has garnered and in the interest of transparency, this outcome has been shared.”

• On occasion, The Royal Gazette may decide to not allow comments on what we consider to be a controversial or contentious story. As we are legally liable for any libellous or defamatory comments made on our website, this move is for our protection as well as that of our readers