DPP withdraws bribery case against Bicknell
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has reportedly withdrawn the bribery case against businessman Bruce Bicknell.
The OBSERVER ONLINE has been informed that the DPP wrote to Bicknell’s legal team informing of the decision.
The bribery charge was slapped on the businessman after he was stopped and ticketed for speeding in April of 2012.
He was also charged with Senior Superintendent of Police James Forbes for attempting to pervert the course of justice as a result of the matter.
Bicknell was earlier this year freed of a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice following a no-case submission and Forbes was convicted and fined $800,000. Forbes is now appealing.
Before the trial started lawyers for the senior police officer had asked the DPP to try the bribery matter first but the request was refused.
The police officer, who ticketed Bicknell, had testified in the Forbes/Bicknell trial that he was not certain if Bicknell was bribing him.
West Portland MP Daryl Vaz is to be tried for corruption in relation to the bribery issue. The DPP is also to make a determination as to whether to go ahead with the trial against Vaz.
