Cop in court on bribery charges

PC Sonnyboy Maharaj, who is attached to the Caroni Police Station, Southern Main Road, was on Thursday charged with corruptly soliciting a bribe of $500 to forego the prosecution of a motorist on a traffic offence.

Maharaj appeared before a Justice of the Peace (JP) in the Couva Magistrates’ Court, and was granted $50,000 bail to cover two charges of alleged corruption.

Maharaj was arrested on Thursday by Insp John Thorpe of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, and was slapped with the charges. The charges were laid by Cpl Derrick Walker.

Yesterday morning, Thorpe escorted Maharaj before JP Piaray Ali, who read two charges against the policeman. The first alleged that on Monday, Maharaj corruptly solicited $500 from Kavi Siew, of Balmain, Couva, to forego prosecution in a traffic offence.

It was also alleged that on Thursday, Maharaj corruptly received $200 as a reward for foregoing a traffic offence. Maharaj, 43, of Milton Village, Couva, has been a policeman for the past seven years.

The charges arose from investigations by Thorpe in which it was revealed that on Monday, Siew was stopped near the collapsed Guayamare Bridge for improper overtaking.

The charges alleged that Maharaj was arrested at Quality Cash and Carry Supermarket, Southern Main Road, Couva, on Thursday.

Appearing for Maharaj yesterday was attorney Darrel Giles, who requested from Ali that all documents pertaining to the case be disclosed. Police prosecutor WPC Cpl Sharon Corbett assured that the prosecution would comply with the request.

The case was postponed to next week Monday.