Policemen accused of soliciting bribe granted bail

Two St Catherine based policemen who were charged with soliciting $3,000 from a motorist for him to avoid prosecution were each granted $650,000 bail when they appeared in court on Friday.

 The accused are Constables Romane Boothe, 32, and Marlon Hamilton, 34, of the St Catherine South Police Division.

Attorney John Jacobs made the successful bail application when the matter was mentioned in the St Catherine Parish Court before Senior Parish Judge Jacqueline Wilcott.

Jacobs told the court that his clients had fixed residences and were fit candidates for bail.

The addresses were verified and each was granted bail on condition that Boothe reports thrice weekly to the Spanish Town Police Station and Hamilton reports thrice weekly to the Linstead Police Station.

Both men are to reappear in court for their trial on October 9.

It is alleged that on August 13 the policemen were on traffic duties along the Mandela Highway in St Catherine when they stopped a motorist who was towing another vehicle.

They allegedly solicited the money from the driver and the matter was reported to the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau. 

The men were later arrested and charged.

- Rasbert Turner

Follow The Gleaner on Twitter and Instagram @JamaicaGleaner and on Facebook @GleanerJamaica. Send us a message on WhatsApp at 1-876-499-0169 or email us at onlinefeedback@gleanerjm.com or editors@gleanerjm.com.