Alleged bribe-taking cops get bail in High Court

Feb 13, 2009 News 0

Three of the four policemen who appeared in court on Tuesday charged with demanding money from Gavin Shepherd to help him avoid prosecution for trafficking in narcotics, managed to secure bail in the sum of $300,000 each.
The three — Tyron Edwards, 38, of 203 Prospect, East Bank Demerara; Carl Ifill of Canterbury Walk, Beterverwagting; and John Blake of 3086 North Ruimveldt — managed to get bail when their lawyers, Peter Hugh and Patrice Henry, approached Chief Justice Ian Chang in the High Court on Wednesday.
However, the relatives of the men were not presented with the order until yesterday.
The fourth person charged for this crime, Jason O’Donahue, was not granted bail based on arguments by the prosecutor. O’Donahue was said to be the driver of the vehicle that the policemen happened to be using at the time of their arrest.
The men reportedly demanded $500,000 from Shepherd after they arrested him with a quantity of marijuana.  The men were reportedly found with some of the money during a police sting operation. In court on Tuesday, the prosecution claimed that some of the money fell from the vest of one of the ranks during a search.
The policemen are expected to return to court on Monday when the lawyers will make another application for bail for the fourth policeman.