Two policemen stationed at the Hunts Bay Police Station and accused of extorting money from a businessman were remanded in custody last week by a magistrate who turned down their bail applications.

Constables Christopher Burton and Andrew Freeman are now due to return to court on December 22 when the next hearing of their case is scheduled.

According to court documents, constables Burton and Freeman are alleged to have told the businessman, who operates in the Hunts Bay area of Kingston, that they received orders to kill him and that he could save his life by paying them money.

The court documents stated that in April a group of cops, including Burton and Freeman, took the businessman from his office and carried him to Caymanas Park, St Catherine. Burton is alleged to have told the businessman that he could pay the cops $150,000 to save his life. It is also alleged that the businessman was told by Burton that he would be killed in a similar manner to an associate of his known as ‘Boysie’ if he did not pay the money.

‘Boysie’ was killed earlier this year in a police operation.

Burton is alleged to have contacted the businessman again in May, and asked for another $150,000 after issuing the same threat. Fearing for his life, the businessman is said to have paid again.

Some time later, Constable Freeman is alleged to have taken the businessman from his home in Seaview Gardens and made a similar threat of being paid to kill him. After agreeing on a sum of $60,000, the businessman is alleged to have paid Freeman $50,000, promising to pay the remainder at a later date at a Seventh-day Adventist church in the Hunts Bay area.

It was after this alleged encounter that the businessman went to the police and made a report against Freeman. A sting operation was set up, and on the date when the payment should have been made, a sergeant from the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s Operations Branch allegedly witnessed Freeman accepting $10,000 from the businessman.

Freeman was arrested and Constable Burton was held later based on the statement given to the police by the businessman.

Attorney for both constables, Tom Tavares-Finson, filed a lengthy bail application in which he invited detective superintendents Oswald Ayre and Winfroy Budhoo of Hunts Bay and a church minister to act as character witnesses for the cops. Tavares-Finson argued that the businessman’s complaint against the cops was an act of malice, due to the possible involvement of Freeman and Burton in the death of ‘Boysie’.

However, Resident Magistrate Sarah James, taking into account the seriousness of the allegations, turned down the bail application.