Jail scam at police lock-up - Court hears fake cop solicits money from inmates relatives

A bail application for a bearer accused of pretending to be a senior superintendent of police who called inmates' relatives and solicited to have them granted bail was turned down on Friday.

Charged for impersonating police is 38-year-old Greg Josephs.

When the matter was called up in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, the accused did not enter a plea. However, his attorney flatly denied his involvement in the matter.

The court heard that Josephs would call family members of inmates, who were at the Hunts Bay police lock-up, requesting that they pay money to help refurbish the station, and in return the police would not object to the inmates' bail application.

The court was told that detectives from the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency picked up the accused man following an investigation.

According to the court, Josephs was later pointed out in an identification parade.

His lawyer has deemed the allegations obscured claiming, "My client is a midget and in no way could be mistaken for a policeman."

Josephs was further remanded and is to return to court on March 10.

A fingerprint order was also made.