Three Policemen Cleared of Corruption Charges in St. Catherine Parish Court

St. Catherine, Jamaica — Three policemen who faced charges under the Corruption Prevention Act were freed on Monday in the St. Catherine Parish Court, after the prosecution admitted it could not present a solid case against them.

The accused officers, Corporal Stephen Peart and constables Maurice Foster and Lariston Bogle, were charged with soliciting a bribe following an incident on February 6, 2021. They had reportedly stopped a vehicle for alleged breaches of the Larceny Act and later took the vehicle to the Central Village Police Station in St. Catherine. There, it was claimed that the complainant was asked to “do supn,” a phrase suggesting solicitation of a bribe. The man allegedly paid the policemen $50,000 before filing a report, which sparked an investigation.

Following the probe, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions ruled that the officers should be charged. Despite several court appearances, the accused maintained their innocence throughout the proceedings.

When the case was heard before Parish Court Judge Geneta Smikle, attorney John Jacobs, representing the accused, argued that the evidence was weak and insufficient to secure a conviction. The prosecution eventually conceded that it could not mount a successful case, leading to the dismissal of the charges.

The ruling brings an end to the legal saga for the three officers, who have been battling the accusations for over two years.