Police Corporal granted bail of EC$15k after arrested and charged for theft of EC$32,797

The court has granted bail of EC$15,000.00 to police Corporal Mervin Adams after he was arrested and charged for theft.

Corporal Adams appeared before magistrate Asquith Riviere on August 1, 2019 where the charge was read to him he was not required to plea since the matter is an indictable one.

According to court documents, Cpl Adams between January 9, 2014 and June 14, 2018 is alleged to have stolen EC$32,797.80 while stationed at the Wesley Police Station.

Among his bail conditions, he was to surrender all his travel documents and is to report to the Portsmouth Police Station every Wednesday between the hours of 7am and 7pm. He was forbidden from changing his address without first notifying the court 72 hours in advance. Also, he must obtain permission from the court if he is to travel. The matter has been adjourned to November 8, 2019.

Attorney at law Julien Prevost is representing him in the matter.

Meantime, his lawyer has bemoaned the manner in which the matter has been handled. “What I find interesting, is that I represented Cleville Mills in a similar matter where he was charged after they ( the police) alleged that money in his position had disappeared and they brought his to a disciplinary tribunal under the police Act. We lost at first instance but he won the appeal and was exonerated,” Prevost said.

He continued, “Now I am representing Cpl Adams, the matter is similar but Adams has been dragged before the magistrate’s court, unlike Mills, why the difference in procedure between the two parties and the facts are similar. Some people get special treatment within the police force, while I was Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) I reverted at least three matters to the tribunal because the police chief wanted me to take the matters to the criminal court and I said no, I am not going to drag the police and tarnish their names. The tribunal is the same where they can be punished equally and dismissed; it is clear discrimination in the police force…a plan for a few police officers for what he perceives of them. The Chief needs to level the playing field, policemen are not about the law, it speaks volumes about the Chief and what is happening in the Police Force.”

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