A policeman, who was accused of stealing his colleague’s saving pan in 2017, walked out of the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court a free man yesterday.

The policeman, Constable Jerome James, was arrested and charged for stealing his friend’s saving pan containing $18,000.

It was alleged that on October 27, 2017, James’ friend and colleagues, after realising that his locker was broken into, went to the constable to complain.

At that time, the saving pan and the cash were allegedly seen beside James who was fast asleep.

The constable was later arrested and charged.

When the matter was called up on the second day of the two-day trial, James’ attorney, Peter Champagnie, during cross-examination, suggested to the complainant that he never allowed his client to explain how he came into lawful possession of the money.

The lawyer suggested further that judgement was rushed because he was told that James was speaking ill of him with a female.

Replying to the suggestion, the complainant admitted to Champagnie that they were close friends and he did not have any reason not to trust him.

Maintaining his innocence, James stated that he had observed his friend’s locker tampered with and as such took up the savings pan with the money to secure it.

– Racquel Porter