TWO police constables who reportedly solicited and collected $20,000 from a Chinese businessman after they raided his wholesale store in downtown Kingston and seized a number of skin bleaching products, were both offered $200,000 bail when they appeared in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court Tuesday.

The lawmen — Javon Baker and Hansfield Earle — who were assigned to City Centre Police Station in downtown Kingston, reportedly carried out the raid on September 13 of last year without a search warrant.

According to police reports, the cops were on patrol in downtown Kingston when they were stopped by a woman who complained to them of the service she received at the establishment on Princess Street and told the policemen that the operators were selling skin bleaching products.

The lawmen reportedly went to the store and seized 200 assorted skin-bleaching products and arrested the businessman. The policemen then reportedly drove around for a while with the businessman in the service vehicle before asking him, “What you can do for yourself”.

The businessman reportedly told them that he only had $20,000 which he gave them and they then let him out of the vehicle. However, he later reported the matter to the police and the bleaching products were reportedly found in the service vehicle that the police officers were driving.

Following investigations, a file was completed and sent to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions who ruled that they should each be charged with two counts of breaching the Corruption Prevention Act and a count of simple larceny.

On Tuesday both cops were offered bail by Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey on condition that they surrender their travel documents with a stop order in place.

Baker is being represented by Peter Champagnie while Charles Williams is representing Earle.

Both accused are to return to court for trial on May 19.