TWO POLICEMEN IMPLICATED in the alleged extortion of money from a businessman to protect him were denied bail when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court on Friday.
The accused men are Constables Christopher Burton and Andrew Freeman and they are charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, the charge being conspiracy and obtaining money with menace.
The policemen could also be charged for attempting to pervert the course of justice as the investigating officers told the court that the complainant said he received a call in which he was offered millions of dollars to drop the case and also told that the investigating officers would be killed.
The investigating officers objected to bail on those grounds. Their bails were denied although attorney for the men Tom Tavares-Finson pleaded with RM Judith Pusey to allow them to return home.
Allegations are that in April 2005, the two officers and other policemen took the complainant from his businessplace in Cockburn Gardens to Caymanas Estate where they told the complainant that they had orders to kill him and that he should pay them $150,000 for them not to do it.
The businessman complied and paid the sum. In May 2005, the policemen called and asked for $150,000 which the complainant again paid. In October 2005, the policemen took the complainant to Seaview Gardens and told him they had orders to kill him and he should pay $60,000 to live.
The complainant allegedly paid $50,000 and made arrangements to pay the balance of $10,000. The complainant reportedly went to the police and made a complaint. A sting operation was set up near the Hagley Park Seventh Day Adventist church and on November 19, Freeman was held while collecting the $10,000. He was arrested and charged.
Burton was arrested after the complainant pointed him out as one of the persons to whom he also paid over money. Although the crown was ready for trial, the defence indicated that it was not and a mention date of December 9 was set for the matter.
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