THE Trial into the case of a police constable who was accused of demanding $150,000 from a complainant in order to end a case is set to begin on June 30 in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

The accused policeman, Jason Powell, who was granted $150,000 bail last week, was nabbed in a sting operation earlier this month and subsequently charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act and extortion following a ruling from the Director of Public Prosecutions.

demanding money

Allegations in the case are that the cop was dealing with a case regarding a complainant who had made a report of demanding money by menace. However, after the complainant said he was no longer interested in pursuing the matter, the policeman told him that he would have to pay him $150,000 in order to do so.

It is further alleged that the lawman made several calls to the complainant demanding the money after which the complainant filed a complaint with the commissioner's office. A sting operation was subsequently set up at the Flow parking lot, St Lucia Avenue, New Kingston.

The policeman was then held after he was seen collecting $50,000 from the complainant.

The court ordered that the lawman surrender his travel documents as a condition for his bail. A fingerprint order was also made in the matter.