SERGEANT Elroda Smith and Detective Corporal Everton Goulbourne both of the Westmoreland Police Division were convicted in the Savanna–la-Mar Resident Magistrate’s Court for breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act yesterday.

Smith was fined $250,000 or six months at hard labour while Goulbourne was fined $200,000 or six months at hard labour

They were arrested by members of the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) in April 2007, after they seized a minibus from a bus operator and told him that the bus was reported stolen. The bus operator who is also the owner produced the documents and insisted that his bus was not stolen.

The bus operator was told that in order for him to get back his bus and not be prosecuted, he would have to pay them. They then demanded a $50,000 bribe and accepted $45,000 but refused to hand over the bus pending the payment of the remaining $5,000.

A report was made to the ACB and an investigation was launched. The file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions who ruled that both be charged.