Devon Evans, Gleaner Writer
OCHO RIOS:
AFTER SPENDING a week in custody, two policemen from St. Ann yesterday were released on bail in the sum of $1 million each with surety.
The two, Constables Dexton Grant and Damion Lewin,were granted bail by Resident Magistrate Yvonne Brown when they appeared in the St. Ann's Bay Resident Magistrate's Court on charges of breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act. The two were taken into custody last Friday for allegedly trying to extort money from a motorist, whom they reportedly accused of committing a traffic offence.
Despite a very passionate application for bail by attorney-at-law Ernest Smith, in which he categorically denied any involvement of the two policemen in any form of extortion, Resident Magistrate Brown was very reluctant in granting the request.
GUILT DENIED
Mr. Smith, who held brief for his absent colleague attorney Oswest Senior-Smith, said none of the men took any money from the complainant and also denied that his clients had any conver-sation with the complainant in relation to money.
Pointing to the seriousness of the charge, RM Brown made it clear that she was granting bail only because she could not find an early trial date. The trial date was set for August 11.
The judge, however, imposed the following conditions: that the men be finger-printed; their travel documents seized; that they must be confined to the parish until the trial is finished; and that neither of them nor any of their relatives must make any contact with the complainant or witnesses.
RM Brown also said that Grant, who lives in Discovery Bay, should report daily to the Discovery Bay Police Station between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. and that Lewin, who lives in Seville Heights, should report to the St. Ann's Bay Police Station daily during the same hours.
Several policemen and women were in court to witness the appearance of their two colleagues and some openly expressed relief when they heard that they had been granted bail.
