Cops accused of extorting gay men

One of two males who were spotted in a car in Montego Bay, St James, has alleged that cops sought to extort them.

Allegations are that on August 19, some time after 1:30 a.m., the complainant and his male friend were inside a car on Kent Avenue in Montego Bay when three policemen approached the vehicle and instructed them to step out.

The cops told the two men that the buggery law was still in effect, photographed them, and put them into the police vehicle.

It is further alleged that the complainant was told to pay $50,000 in order to be released, but he said he only had $10,000. The two men were then driven to the intersection of Creek and Dome streets, where the $10,000 was handed over and contact information was exchanged in order for the rest of the money to paid at a later date.

ARRESTED AND CHARGED

A report was made to the Major Organised Crime and AntiCorruption Agency (MOCA), and constables Sean Stewart and Damion Wilson and District Constable Jerry Booth were subsequently arrested and charged.

They were brought before the St James Parish Court for breaches of the Corruption (Prevention) Act last Friday. The court was told that the prosecution is awaiting a report from the Communications, Forensics and Cyber-Crimes Unit of the force regarding cellular phones that had been taken from the defendants. Presiding parish judge Sandria Wong-Small subsequently offered bail to the cops in the sum of $1 million each. They were ordered to report to the police twice each week and to have no contact with the witnesses in the case. The matter will be mentioned again on January 17, 2019. – C.T.