KINGSTON, Jamaica — Resident Magistrate Stephanie Haisley-Jackson Friday morning ruled that businessman Bruce Bicknell was free of a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Bicknell was charged with bribery after he was stopped for a traffic violation along Sir Florizel Glasspole Boulevard in east Kingston on April 9 last year.

Police sergeant Jubert Llewellyn accused Bicknell of handing him $2,000 in an attempt to bribe him.

However RM Jackson ruled that Senior Superintendent James Forbes, who is charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to the matter, has a case to answer to.

It is alleged that Forbes arranged a meeting with Bicknell, Llewellyn and Sergeant Delon Lewis, and a decision was made not to bring the matter before the courts.

Lewis had arrested Bicknell and charged him for the alleged bribery after a complaint by Llewellyn.

Forbes was ordered to return to court on March 31.

Bicknell still has to answer to the bribery charge.