Man accused of offering cop $2,000 ‘lunch money’ fined $30,000

MONTEGO BAY, St James — A man who accused of offering a policeman $2,000 as “lunch money” after being stopped for a traffic violation was fined $30,000 for bribery in the St James Parish Court. Pladger Magnus appeared before Judge Natiesha Fairclough-Hylton on Wednesday and was represented by attorney Kevon Johnson. The court heard that on July 10, the arresting cop was conducting traffic duties along Rosehall Main Road when he stopped Magnus after observing that the fog lamps on his motor vehicle were on during the day. The policeman informed Magnus that he would be issuing him a ticket, and the accused man allegedly responded, “Officer, give me a bly. Officer, you can’t give me a chance? Are you hungry? You want a lunch money?” Magnus then reportedly walked back to his motor vehicle and returned, handing the cop his vehicle documents and $2,000. When the policeman asked him what the money was for, Magnus allegedly said, “Buy a lunch with it because mi can’t afford that ticket.” Magnus was subsequently arrested and charged. When cautioned, he allegedly responded, “Arrested fi wah?”

Johnson, in addressing the court on behalf of his client, stated, “The circumstances and my instructions are slightly different as to how this unfolded. We are not denying that the monies were handed, but my understanding from instructions is that on the pull-over he did ask for a chance.” Johnson said, however, that Magnus would not have asked the policeman if he was hungry. “What happened after was that the officer said he gave three blies already and he doesn’t give blies like that and my client assumed certain things,” he said. Johnson added that he was opposing the allegation that Magnus had instigated the exchange, simply put the money there and handed it over, thinking he could just get away with it. The attorney asked the court to be as lenient as possible, noting that it was his client’s first appearance before the judge and that he had not wasted the court’s time. He also asked the court to offer whatever discount it deemed appropriate in the circumstances. Fairclough-Hylton subsequently fined Magnus $30,000 or 10 days’ imprisonment.