(Jamaica Gleaner) Three prominent Jamaicans – a politician; a senior police officer and a well-known businessman – are scheduled to face the court today on charges of perverting the course of justice.
They are Member of Parliament for Western Portland, Daryl Vaz; Senior Superintendent of Police James Forbes and Bruce Bicknell, a member of the influential family that owns and operates Tankweld limited in Kingston.
The three will be hauled before the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s court, following a ruling by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution that they attempted to bribe a police sergeant attached to the Traffic Headquarters at Elletson Road.
Another police sergeant and a prominent businessman have also been named in the case.
Sources say the Sergeant had stopped a white SUV being driven by Bicknell which was speeding along the Florizel Glasspole Highway on the April 9.
It’s alleged that the Sergeant moved to issue a traffic ticket to Bicknell, when an envelope containing the motor vehicle documents along with J$2,000 was handed to him. The police officer reported that he brought the money to Bicknell’s attention, when the businessman offered it to him.
But The Gleaner/Power106 News Centre was told that Bickenell has denied knowledge that the funds were in the envelope and has said he had no intention to bribe the policeman.
It’s reported that the Sergeant spoke to his senior about what he suspected was an attempt by Bicknell to bribe him.
It’s understood that after Bicknell was taken to the Elletson Road station, when SSP Forbes and other senior police officers got involved in the matter.
Bicknell was then granted bail although it was a public holiday.
Sources say the Sergeant claimed that later that day, he also received a call from a male who identified himself as Daryl Vaz.
Vaz reportedly visited the Sergeant at the Elletson Road station and made an appeal to him to be lenient on Bicknell as he was not well and would also lose his US visa if he was jailed.
