Policeman jailed for extortion

JADA LOUTOO

CORRUPT acts by members of the protective services will not be tolerated, a High Court judge said as she had some harsh words for a police officer who tried to extort money from a teacher in 2004 and in addition, harassed and stalked her before he was caught in a ‘sting’ operation. Anthony Williams was on Wednesday sentenced to two years in prison by Justice Gillian Lucky after pleading guilty last year to corruption.

Williams tried to extort $2,000 from a Tunapuna teacher who was involved in a vehicular accident.

The corrupt acts took place on September 21 and 29, 2004, in Tunapuna. Williams was arrested in a “sting” conducted by officers of the Anti Corruption Unit which included now acting Snr Supt Joanne Archie — head of Tobago Division.

He was also accused of stalking and demanding payment from the teacher where she worked at ASJA Girls’ College in Tunapuna.

Lucky told Williams that by his corrupt acts he not only let down himself, his family, the police service but also the country.

“There has to be a message sent to society...far too often there are complaints of police abusing their powers,” Lucky said.

“Corrupt acts will not be tolerated,” she added as she sent a warning to all security agencies.

Police, she said, took an oath to protect and serve the people of TT, without malice or ill will, not abuse, or misuse of their powers. She said law abiding citizens should not be at the mercy of corrupt police officers.

Lucky told Williams his corrupt act only served to further promote the branding of the police service that all police offices were corrupt when many police officers were also law abiding and took their oath seriously.

She said corrupt acts by some only served to undermine the work of good police officers.

“In our society there are some who boast of corrupt acts. This is not a way of life. People ought not to be victims of a corrupt society,” she said. Williams was represented by attorney Ulric Skerritt while prosecutors Giselle Ferguson-Heller and Maria Lyons represented the State.