Cabbie accused of bribing cop
A taxi driver, who was allegedly caught handing over $20,000 to a police corporal for him to dismiss a charge relating to breaches of the Law Reform Act, was denied bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court.
Thirty-two-year-old Eihaine Clarke of Camrose District, St James, was remanded by Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey after the investigating officer told the court that the police were opposing bail on the grounds that Clarke has more than one case before the court, relating to the lottery scam.
According to allegations, on September 25 Clarke contacted the complainant, who is the supervisor of the police team that had arrested him, and asked him to persuade the investigating officer to dispose of the case and he would pay him $50,000.
A sting operation was set for November 4, during which the accused allegedly met the corporal and paid him $20,000, and was arrested and later charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice.
On Monday when Clarke appeared in court, he pleaded guilty but claimed it was the officer who had initiated the contact.
“It’s just the officer; the officer told me he could talk to me and do something for me,” Clarke said. “The corporal contact me back and forth and visit me in St Ann and told me he could do something for me.”
When asked by the magistrate if it was the corporal who had asked for $20,000, Clarke said the officer did not give him a figure.
The magistrate, after hearing Clarke’s claim, told the court, “It is a question of fact for a tribunal.”
She then enquired about bail for the accused, but after hearing that Clarke had other matters before the court remanded him until December 16.
— Tanesha Mundle