WESTERN BUREAU:

The investigating officer in the case against two St James policemen answering corruption charges in the Montego Bay Resident Magistrate's Court has requested an additional three weeks to complete the case file.

The investigator asked for time to have the phone records of the accused men, 32-year-old Constable Roger Forrester and Special Constable Metro McFarlene, 33, in a format so copies can be submitted to the attorneys involved in the matter.

When the case was mentioned on Wednesday, a November 3 court date was scheduled to facilitate the request. In the meantime, the accused cops had their bail extended.

Since January, many members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) have been brought before courts across the island for various charges under the Corruption Prevention Act.

Forrester and McFarlene were charged with breaches of the act following a ruling by the director of public prosecutions.

Bribe Solicited

The charges stem from an incident in which the men allegedly solicited a $30,000 bribe to have a matter before the Western Regional Gun Court in Montego Bay thrown out.

Allegations are that, on June 20, complaints were made to the Anti-Corruption Unit that the accused policemen were arranging to accept money in order to have a Gun Court case, which involved robbery and illegal possession of firearm charges, to be dismissed.

Based on information given to the police, a sting operation was carried out on July 1 when the case was scheduled for trial in the Gun Court.

Further allegations are that on July 1, members of the Anti- Corruption Unit went to Montego Bay and were positioned in strategic points at the courthouse.

The court heard that after the matter was mentioned in the Gun Court, Constable Forrester and one of the complainants went to the car park in view of the team of police involved in the operation.

When the team received indication that the money was handed over to Constable Forrester, the police accosted him. He allegedly denied receiving any money but later told the police that the money, which was previously marked, was in his jacket pocket after the police demanded to search him. He was subsequently taken to the Barrett Town Police Station where he was arrested.

Special Constable McFarlene's allegedly approached an accused to solicit money and said he would speak to Forrester, the investigating officer, to have the case dismissed in the accused man's favour.