Hanover cops found guilty of corruption

Two of three Hanover policemen accused of soliciting money to avoid making an arrest were found guilty of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act in the Hanover Parish Court at Lucea on Friday.

Conrad Clarke, Andre Drummond and Shemroy Hewitt, all constables attached to the Hanover Police Division, were charged following an incident in January 2017 when they stopped a car in which a wanted murderer was a passenger.

Hewitt and Drummond were convicted of soliciting and accepting $150,000.

Clarke, who was charged with aiding and abetting the soliciting and accepting of $150,000, was found not guilty as the court found that there was no evidence that he, at any time, participated in the offence, other than being with the others when the car was stopped at a vehicular checkpoint.

The men, who are represented by attorney-at-law Martyn Thomas, were remanded pending a social enquiry report. 

They are to be sentenced on August 31.

Evidence was led in court that Hewitt and Drummond took wanted man, Oklere Hoffstead, and the driver of the car into their police vehicle and on the drive to Lucea, bartered with the men for a sum to be paid for their release.

The driver, who is from Norwood, St James, was taken to a bank and directed to make the withdrawal. 

He withdrew $150,000 which was handed to Hewitt who left in the police vehicle with Drummond.

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