Policeman, ex-cop granted bail

A policeman and an ex-cop facing drug charges received bail when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court yesterday.

Valdano Smith and retired policeman, Anthony Robinson, had their bail set at $5 million with surety.

According to the official reports, the accused men were followed by members of the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA) from St Catherine to the Norman Manley International Airport last month.

The vehicle they were travelling in was searched and several parcels of white substance weighing 22 pounds, which the police believe is cocaine, were seized.

There was a lengthy exchange between Senior Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey and the three lawyers who were seeking bail for the accused men.

previous record

During their address to Pusey, one of the lawyers, in his application for bail, stated that 29-year-old Smith had no previous conviction.

This did not sit well with Pusey, who told the lawyers that police officers would not have had a previous record.

"Don't tell me that he has no convictions when asking for bail because I don't see any of his colleagues who would arrest him," charged Pusey.

She also cautioned them against using their occupations as officers to justify their application for bail.

"How can I be urged to grant a man that has taken an oath and is paid from the consolidation fund to maintain law and he is arrested for this?" queried Pusey

After much delegation, they were eventually granted bail by Pusey.

The men are slated to return to court on May 5.