KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former head of the Jamaica Constabulary Force Community Safety and Security Branch, James Forbes this morning had his 2014 conviction and sentence for corruption thrown out by the Court of Appeal.

Forbes, who was a senior superintendent of police at the time, had been accused of destroying a case file prepared against Tankweld boss, Bruce Bicknell, who was accused of offering a bribe to a policeman to dispense of a traffic ticket for speeding. Forbes was fined $800,000 or six months in prison after he was convicted for attempting to pervert the course of justice.

Bicknell was later freed of the charge.

Portland Western Member of Parliament Daryl Vaz was charged jointly with them, but he was also freed.

This morning, the court of appeal, in apologising profusely for the lateness in handing down the decision, said the $800,000 for which Forbes was fined by a magistrate in the St Andrew Parish Court should be refunded to him “forthwith”.

The matter was appealed in 2018.