– to pay $20,000 costs
On Thursday another police officer appeared before Acting Chief Magistrate Melissa Robertson to answer to the charge of demanding money with menace to which he pleaded not guilty but the case was dismissed after the virtual complainant changed her story.
It was alleged that on December 11, 2008 at the Cheddi Jagan International Airport, Bertie Griffith, a 20-year-old constable #20185 of 23 ‘A’ Golden Fleece, West Bank Demerara, demanded the sum of US$100 from Vishel Singh with intent to steal the money and also stole two pairs of gold earrings from her.
When given a chance to speak, Singh said, “Let the matter just go because he (Griffith) wasn’t there an I en know anything about the matter. The people who really do the wrong deh out deh still, dis man en know nothing,” Singh stated.
Police Prosecutor Denise Griffith remarked, however, that Singh had given the police “a totally different version of story.”
The unrepresented defendant had his case discharged. He was ordered to pay $20,000 court costs and was placed on a bond to keep the peace for two years. The magistrate said that the virtual complainant (VC) should have been the one paying the cost since the defendant according to the VC does not know anything about the matter, but since Griffith would stand to benefit, then he should pay the cost.
This matter comes in the wake of eight cops being charged for a similar offence in different incidents in three days.
