MANCHESTER, Jamaica — Twenty-year-old Sandre Bogle, one of four accused extortionists who made an appearance in the Manchester Parish Court this morning, was granted bail in the sum of $200,000 with one or two sureties.

Bogle has been ordered to report to the Kendal Police Station on Tuesdays and Fridays within the hours of 8:00am- 8:00pm and has a curfew, which prevents him from being on the road between 8:00pm and 6:00am daily.

His co-accused Sheila Smith, 64; Keeno Powell, 21 and Beko March, 21 are also answering to extortion and conspiracy to extort charges but were remanded in court this morning. All four accused extortionists are scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, May 3.

Twenty-four-year-old Careba Salmon, who was also charged in the matter, has since pleaded guilty and will be returning to court this Friday for sentencing.

In March, business operators in Mandeville alerted the police that “extortion letters” were being distributed to them; an investigation was launched and the five accused were subsequently taken into custody.

Manchester Parish Judge Desiree Alleyne, in an earlier court appearance, said that the death threats in the letters were serious and as such she is hesitant to grant bail to the accused.

She said, however, that the allegations against Bogle, who is from Top Hill in the parish, were the weakest.

In making an appeal for Bogle’s release, his attorney said that he was merely in the company of one of his co-accused when the alleged extortion letters were being distributed but had no knowledge about the content of the letters or intention to engage in any illicit acts.

His bail was contingent on a submission to the court, of his criminal record and a report reflecting the views of his community members, in order to assess his character.

Alicia Sutherland