By Nagra Plunkett, Staff ReporterWESTERN BUREAU: A CORPORAL and a constable who were detained in Westmoreland a week ago have been identified as the persons who carried out an armed robbery in Coral Gardens, St. James, last month.
The two policemen, both from the Montego Bay Criminal Investigation Branch, were pointed out at the line-up at the Montego Bay Freeport Police Station on Monday.
"The matter will now be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) for a ruling. Until then, they will remain in custody," said Det. Supt. John Morris, who is in charge of crime for the Area One police, the headquarters of which are in MoBay.
COPS FOUND IN THE HOUSE
Information from the police is that on March 8, two men who identified themselves as policemen went to a house in the upscale Coral Gardens community and robbed the occupants. The men, who had firearms, stole about $500,000 in jewellery and $5,000 and US$100 in cash.
The accused were initially taken into custody by the Negril police on April 6 at a house in Whitehall, Westmoreland, during a search of the premises.
The Negril police were responding to reports that five gunmen had invaded the house. On their arrival, two men were seen in a white Nissan Sunny car outside the residence. The two cops were then found in the house carrying out a search. They identified themselves as policemen and furnished their Jamaica Constabulary identification cards.
The two civilians were later pointed out as two of six men who held up the occupant of the house at gunpoint the day before and stole $27,000 and a cellular phone valued at $15,000.
The policemen were taken from the Bethel Town police lock-up to Montego Bay last weekend.
The Internal Affairs Section of the Jamaica Constabulary's Office of Professional Responsibility has completed its investigation of the incident.
"We would want to believe that we finished our field work yesterday (Monday)," Deputy Supt. Lloyd Haley, of the Internal Affairs Section, said yesterday. "We are now preparing a file for submission to the DPP."
