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Corrupt Cop Gets 12-Month Sentence
Published: Saturday | October 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
A policeman who accepted a bribe of $10,000 to release a motor car he had seized has lost his appeal against his conviction and 12-month prison sentence.
Lowell Forbes, 34, was a constable with six years' service in the police force when he was held in a sting operation in March 2007.
Resident Magistrate Stephanie Jackson Haisley found Forbes guilty in April of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act.
He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment each for corruptly soliciting $15,000 and corruptly accepting $10,000. The sentences are to run concurrently, so he will serve 12 months.
Forbes was in prison pending the outcome of his appeal.
In dismissing his appeal on Thursday, the Court of Appeal ordered that his sentence must commence from April 27, so he will be released from prison in December. One-third of a prisoner's sentence is deducted for good behaviour.
traffic offences
The Crown had led evidence at the trial in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court that in March 2007 Forbes seized a motor car belonging to Alfred Miller because the driver had committed traffic offences.
The driver called Miller, who contacted Forbes. He told Miller that he would have to pay him $15,000 to release the motor car.
Miller contacted the police and Forbes was held during a sting operation in downtown Kingston accepting $10,000 in marked notes from Miller. Forbes threw away the money and ran when he was being arrested. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
Forbes said in his defence that he had purchased motor car parts from Miller. He said he met with Miller on the day of the incident to return the motor car parts and for Miller to give him back his money.
Forbes stated that before he could give Miller the motor car parts, which were in the trunk of the motor car, a man came up and attempted to grab his service pistol and he ran.
Miller was shot and killed in Portmore, St Catherine, in May 2007 and his statement was tendered in evidence at the trial.
Published: Saturday | October 16, 20100 Comments and 0 Reactions
Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter
A policeman who accepted a bribe of $10,000 to release a motor car he had seized has lost his appeal against his conviction and 12-month prison sentence.
Lowell Forbes, 34, was a constable with six years' service in the police force when he was held in a sting operation in March 2007.
Resident Magistrate Stephanie Jackson Haisley found Forbes guilty in April of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act.
He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment each for corruptly soliciting $15,000 and corruptly accepting $10,000. The sentences are to run concurrently, so he will serve 12 months.
Forbes was in prison pending the outcome of his appeal.
In dismissing his appeal on Thursday, the Court of Appeal ordered that his sentence must commence from April 27, so he will be released from prison in December. One-third of a prisoner's sentence is deducted for good behaviour.
traffic offences
The Crown had led evidence at the trial in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court that in March 2007 Forbes seized a motor car belonging to Alfred Miller because the driver had committed traffic offences.
The driver called Miller, who contacted Forbes. He told Miller that he would have to pay him $15,000 to release the motor car.
Miller contacted the police and Forbes was held during a sting operation in downtown Kingston accepting $10,000 in marked notes from Miller. Forbes threw away the money and ran when he was being arrested. He was subsequently arrested and charged.
Forbes said in his defence that he had purchased motor car parts from Miller. He said he met with Miller on the day of the incident to return the motor car parts and for Miller to give him back his money.
Forbes stated that before he could give Miller the motor car parts, which were in the trunk of the motor car, a man came up and attempted to grab his service pistol and he ran.
Miller was shot and killed in Portmore, St Catherine, in May 2007 and his statement was tendered in evidence at the trial.
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