Cop charged with taking bribe

A RETIRED police corporal was yesterday granted $45,000 bail by a San Fernando magistrate before whom he appeared charged with taking bottles of scotch as a bribe from a woman so he would not charge her with selling alcohol without a licence. Former Corporal Michael Joachim was not called on to plead on corruption and bribery charges when he appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Mark Wellington. One of the charges alleged that in May 2002, Joachim falsely charged Chan Ramnarine with disorderly behaviour in order to obtain a bribe.

In reading another charge, the magistrate  stated that Joachim is alleged to have received a quantity of liquor from a Debe Quick Shoppe as a bribe so that he would not charge Diane Ramnarine with selling alcohol without a licence. The charges against Joachim were laid by Insp Charles of the Port-of-Spain Fraud Squad. Joachim was represented by attorney Chaiteram Sinanan. Magistrate Wellington granted Joachim bail in the sum of $45,000 to cover the charges and postponed the case to January 10.