Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) was arrested and charged yesterday

A male police officer attached to the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda (RPFAB) was arrested and charged yesterday for allegedly committing sexual offences against a fellow female police officer.

The accused, who is said to have been a member of the RPFAB for at least three years, appeared before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh in the St John’s Magistrates’ Court and was granted bail in the sum of $10,000.

The officer, who was charged under the Sexual Offences Act (1995) was ordered to pay a cash component $2,500 as a condition of the bail. He is also expected to provide two sureties as a condition of his bail. None of the sureties provided could be family members of the accused.

He was also ordered to present himself at the police station on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays and his travel documents were also confiscated.

The officer is expected to be suspended by the Police Service Commission in accordance with section 37(1)(a) of the Police Act which states: “An Inspector, subordinate police officer or constable against whom any complaint or information for an offence punishable on summary conviction or on indictment is laid, or against whom a charge is made for breach of any disciplinary regulation made under this Act, may, pending, and until the final determination of such complaint, information or charge be suspended from duty and placed on half-pay by the Commission.”

In accordance with the Sexual Offences Act, the names of the alleged perpetrator and the victim in crimes of this nature cannot be made.