Glenroy Sinclair, Staff ReporterCORPORAL LAWRENCE Clayton, who spent the past 14 days behind bars at the Central Police Station lock-up, was released on bail when he appeared in the Corporate Area Criminal Court yesterday. He was offered bail in the sum of $150,000 by Senior Resident Magistrate Martin Gayle.
Clayton is to return to court on February 24. The sub-officer, who is attached to the Organised Crime Investigation Division (OCID), was arrested and charged on two counts of assault and two counts of false imprisonment. He is being represented by Churchill Neita, Q.C.
Allegations are that on December 23, last year, two men, Oliver Duncan and Kemar Walters, were abducted from a plaza in Duhaney Park, off Washington Boulevard, St. Andrew, by police, who eyewitnesses claimed were from OCID.
ASSISTANCE FROM SCOTLAND YARD
Retired Police Commissioner Francis Forbes immediately requested the assistance of Scotland Yard detectives to work alongside Senior Superintendent Calvin Benjamin and his team to probe the matter.
Mark Shields, one of the Scotland Yard law enforcement officers, who assisted with the investigation of the controversial shooting in Kraal, Clarendon, in May 2002, was given the assignment.
Prior to being charged, Clayton was held in detention for more than a week. The policeman was eventually charged late Friday evening, following a ruling by Director of Public Prosecutions, Kent Pantry
Clayton pleaded not guilty to the charges and was ordered by RM Gayle to surrender his travel documents to the police.
The Gleaner understands that following the investigations, two other policemen, a corporal and a constable, were also taken into custody. After appearing before two identification parades, however, the officers were not identified and were therefore released.
The Gleaner understands that detectives are still probing other aspects of the case.
