Two policemen and a wrecker operator who were accused of conspiring to take $10,000 from a taxi driver to release his motor car were freed Monday in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court.

They are Corporal Klemeke Christie, Constable Leroy Linton and Gairy Lewis.

The policemen were charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act.

Resident Magistrate Judith Pusey, after hearing no case submissions from attorneys-at-law Oswest Senior Smith an McBean, agreed with them that the complainant was not a credible witness.

The Crown led evidence that in April 2004 the policemen ticketed taxi driver Austin Boothe because he was operating a taxi for which he had no road licence. The motor car was seized.

It was further alleged that the policemen conspired with Lewis for Boothe to pay $10,000 to have the motor car released.

Boothe reported the matter to the police and Lewis was held during a sting operation. The policemen were arrested based on what Lewis said to them.

Credibility impugned

The defence lawyers submitted that Boothe's credibility was severely impugned during cross-examination. They referred to Boothe's admission that, sometime before April 2004, Constable Linton had issued him with a ticket for a similar offence. He admitted that after the vehicle was seized he tricked Lewis, the wrecker operator, and used a spare key to drive away the motor car.

The lawyers also referred to Boothe's evidence in chief that Corporal Christie told him to pay the money to him but said under cross-examination that Christie said the money was to be paid to Lewis.