Two police officers have been found guilty on three counts of corruption and will be sentenced on April 29.
Corporal Marcus Isadore and Constable Peter Lugay were advised of the verdict today, March 25, following a trial that was heard in February before High Court Justice Ann-Marie Smith.
The verdict should have been handed down since March 4, but was postponed until today. The officers face a maximum prison term of five years or a fine of up to $100,000.
Lugay was defended by Andrew O’Kola, while Isadore was represented by Lawrence Daniels.
The duo was charged with corruption almost five years ago, in May 2017. They had also faced other charges, including kidnapping, misbehavior in public office and assault.
Reports say that Corporal Isadore, who was 43 years old at the time, and Constable Lugay, who was then 23, held a man at gunpoint, confiscated his cannabis, and kept the illegal substance for their personal gain.
It is reported that, in committing the illegal act, they used their police-issued firearms.
The lawmen are said to have taken eight pounds of cannabis from the man in February 2017 and then, about two months later, in April, they confiscated about 29 pounds of the drug.
The February haul reportedly has not been accounted for, to date, and was not given in as evidence.
Lugay opted to make an unsworn statement and, during the trial, denied any involvement in the crime. He also claimed to have had no interactions with Isadore, his co-accused, thereby refuting any conspiracy between them.
Further, Lugay suggested that it could have been a case of mistaken identity, since there are others in the Force who fit his description.
When news of the officers’ arrest broke over four years ago, the Police communications arm, STRATCOM, issued a press release calling the allegations very serious, although it did not identify the officers at that time.
The allegation was seen as an indictment against the Force, with the hierarchy declaring that “such reprehensible behaviour … will not be condoned and is strongly condemned.”
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It took 5 years?!!
The justice system makes me want to puke.
Police tiefing Rastaman weed is standard practice! There was a time that police would regularly raid Rasta weed to sell at a nightclub owned by a Magistrate brother in Redcliffe Quay. That normalized the hold-up and tiefing and has continued over the years.
Those two tiefing police who have been waiting for judgment, are now being sacrificed to the coming election so that it would appease the weed community into forgiving the government and police – Looking as if they doing something! Don’t be fooled!
Just observe the police control and fear tactics being introduced and firmed up for election: young abrasive police are being trained and given bikes to harass the youth of the country and all those who cannot be trusted to vote ALP! Both police and the Defense Force are training new recruits in roughness, reading them for bullyragging the people and tear-gassing them and shooting them!
SHOOT-TO-KILL is the middle name of the Antigua Police!
What about the one that the joker Michael Brown said, tried to exploit him?
Anyway everyone know; just like their political masters, there are many well known corrupt police in Antigua.
What about the “person” that Wilmoth said tried to bribe him?? Didn’t he write a letter to Baldwin Spencer alleging such?
The allegation was seen as an indictment against the Force, with the hierarchy declaring that “such reprehensible behaviour … will not be condoned and is strongly condemned
This weed belongs to a third party. The third party is somebody big in society. Look how the police came out swinging against their own especially for little tampy.
This not normal and must be condemned. Police jailing police for corrupt bad practice.
Anyway Antigua is known as A VERY STRANGE PLACE.
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