High priced bail for police officers

No. 63 Monday, March 8, 2010
A police sergeant and a corporal assigned to the Ramble Police Station in Hanover who recently were arrested and charged by investigators from the Anti-Corruption Branch of the force for their alleged involvement in the larceny of several motor vehicles, engines and motor vehicle body parts were both granted bail when they appeared in the Lucea Resident Magistrate Court on Monday, March 1.

    The two men, Sergeant Derrick Barnes and Corporal Shane Givans were both charged last week and appeared in court on Monday to answer to charges of larceny as a servant and aiding and abetting. 
   After appearing in Court, the Sergeant was granted $800,000 bail. He was also instructed to surrender his travel documents and report to the Mt. Salem Police Station on Mondays between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    The Corporal was granted bail in the sum of $400,000. He is also to surrender his travel documents and report to the Vineyard Town police station between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 p.m., on Mondays,
    The Western Mirror was informed that both men were arrested on corruption related charges following a sting operation carried out by sleuths attached to the Police Anti Corruption Division in Kingston at the Ramble police station in February.
    It is reported that during the period 2007 to 2008, the Ramble police carried out several raids in the parish which led to the uncovering of a major motor vehicle stealing ring and the recovery of over one dozen mini buses and motor vehicle parts.
    The vehicles were impounded and kept on the Ramble police station compound while the matter was being heard in Court. It is further understood, that last year the case was thrown out of court but the vehicles were still impounded at the station.
    For a period of time the vehicles remained where they were unattended until it was discovered that over five of the buses and body parts had been sold to businessmen and taxi operators in the parish at a very low cost.
    The matter was reported to the Corruption Branch in Kingston and a team of officers were deployed in the parish to investigate the allegations. The Western Mirror further understands that the police discovered that several of the vehicles were indeed missing and this led to the arrest of the Sergeant, the Constable and four businessmen from the said parish.
    The men will re-appear in the Lucea RM Court on March 23.