Police officers found guilty of corruption

0
695
- Advertisement -

By Latrishka Thomas

[email protected]

Two crooked cops could spend several years in Her Majesty’s Prison after being found guilty of corruption and other charges yesterday.

The offences relate to holding a farmer at gunpoint and taking illegal drugs from him for their personal gain almost five years ago.

Corporal Marcus Isadore, who was 43 years old at the time, was charged with omitting to perform his duty and obtaining eight pounds of cannabis for the benefit of himself or another in February 2017.

Both Isadore and Constable Peter Lugay, who was 23 at the time, were jointly charged with obtaining 29 pounds of cannabis from the same farmer later that month.

Meanwhile, Lugay, is said to have used his police weapon in an effort to obtain the drugs, which reportedly have not been accounted for and were never turned over as evidence.

The trial against Isadore and Lugay came to an end in late February with closing arguments from the defence and prosecution.

The suspended cops were on trial before Justice Ann-Marie Smith where many witnesses gave their account of the incident.

Lawyer Andrew O’Kola represented Lugay, while Lawrence Daniels acted as Isadore’s attorney.

O’Kola’s main argument was that Lugay was not present when the alleged offence took place and that none of the witnesses properly identified him.

Daniels also contended that his client was not at the scene of the crime and that the descriptions given by the witnesses were so vague they could be describing anyone.

Justice Smith however stated that she believed the defendants lied in their statements and that the “witnesses have not concocted the story”.

She said that despite the witnesses not being able to identify the men by name, their descriptions -“tall and thick” and “short with a little body” – fit the two accused and were consistent.

“There is a mountain of evidence that can corroborate their guilt,” she remarked.

Consequently, she asked Isadore to rise and said to him, “I find that your whole account was nothing but a tissue of lies.”

Then to Lugay she said, “I find you to be equally mendacious as your co-defendant.”

They were therefore found guilty of all three counts and were remanded pending their sentencing hearing on April 29.

Corruption carries a maximum sentence of five years while the unlawful use of a firearm could land someone 10 years in prison.

- Advertisement -