Cop found guilty of bribery
(CNS): Elvis Ebanks was found guilty Thursday of two counts of bribery and two counts of breach of trust. It took the jury just over three hours to convict Ebanks, a former officer with the RCIPS, of asking for a bribe of over CI$500 not to pursue a criminal case against a Filipino national who was suspected of stealing a phone. Ebanks is the first public official convicted under the anti-corruption law and he is facing a custodial sentence. Following the verdict, the 30-year-old man from George Town was bailed until 17 July on the request of his defense counsel, who pointed out that, given the sensitivity of his client's situation, special measures may be required regarding where Ebanks would be housed.
In the wake of the verdict the Anti-Corruption Commission issued a statement regarding what it described as a landmark conviction, as it is the first case to be prosecuted under the anti-corruption law. A case last year originally investigated by the anti-corruption team was eventually prosecuted under the common law and involved a civilian police receptionist who released confidential data. Following her guilty plea she was given a suspended sentence last year.
This case is considerably more serious and the first prosecuted by the crown where the defendant was accused of intentional corruption for personal benefit.
"Public officials are placed in a position of trust and as such must perform their duties honestly and professionally whilst displaying the highest level of integrity. When public officials fail to act in accordance with these standards, they will be held accountable. The ACC continues to work diligently to fulfill its legislative mandate to receive and investigate any report of the commission of a corruption offence as detailed in Part III of the Anti-Corruption Law (2008)," a spokesperson said.
Dressed in black, Ebanks remained calm and composed as he sat in the dock when the jury delivered its unanimous guilty verdict in what the judge described as a long and difficult case.
Ebanks had denied the charges from the beginning, saying he had entered into a legitimate loan agreement with Elmore (Len) Ferrares when he gave him a ride home after the case regarding the phones had been dropped. However, at the time Ebanks was in uniform in an unmarked police car, having been called to the Autospa to deal with what had been a suspected theft.
Although the phone owner had said he did not want to press charges, Ferrares was unaware that he would not face legal consequences in connection with the phone he claimed to have found at the local carwash. He told the court that the police officer had threatened him with ten years in jail unless he paid him money. He said he gave him $150 while he was still in the police car and arranged to meet Ebanks to give him another $500 a few days later.
However, Ferrares was encouraged by friends to report the incident and, as a result, a sting operation was set in motion by the ACC and Ebanks was arrested.
Although Ebanks is of previous good character with no previous convictions, in light of the case and his role as a former police officer, a social inquiry report was ordered by Justice Charles Quin, the presiding judge, in preparation for the sentencing hearing in July.
Ebanks was bailed until that date with an 8pm – 6am home curfew and a $5,000 bond along with two $10,000 sureties.
Category: Crime
Caymanian this officer is a national disgrace and should be put away for a very long time can't say i am the least bit surprise knowing what i know about him and his company.
This guy is a real rotten apple can't say i am surprise quite a nasty individual to deal with also No worries he will fit right at Northward Prison.
Yet Tempura found no corruption in RCIPS??!!!
I was unfortunate enough to work with this man several years ago. He was the laziest, unlikeable and untrustworthy police officer i ever met. Good riddance and hope the judge throws the book at him.
I won't gloat at this man's misfortune like so many in this thread have, but I will say lady justice is blind and as a result he should be treated like any other convict. I trust that this will send a strong message to others in the RCIPS who abuse their spouse, extort others, give out information to their friends, turn a blind eye to their drug dealing and user friends and the list goes on. I just hope that other officers who participate in such behavours will realize that this is not yeta banana republic and the CI still adhere to the laws of the land and not those of the jungle like they do in many other placed distant and near.
Being caught and convicted of corruption is not "misfortune". It wasn't due to bad luck but to an intention exploit someone else by committing a crime.
I don't think the sensitivity is as to where he would he should be housed. He is a dishonest criminal and he should have throught about what happened when he got caught before he did it. Chuck him in like a normal prisoner and add some serious extra jail time because he is a bent cop, because bent cops undermine the entire system.
The man who reported this situation to the anti corruption authorities needs to be commended for his bravery and responsiblity. A foreigner reporting a Caymanian police officer in Cayman is showing some moral strength.
How many out there would or could do the same?
Hopefully as many as possible. I for one would and encourage everyone else to put them under the spotlight.
Officers beat my mentally ill uncle …..chased him ……used pepper spray him ……….he was at home………they called him out of his home and pepper sprayed him.
He wasn't even in public ………I personally feel that there are a lot of great police officers but there are certainly many bad apples.
He attempted to report it ………was told that there was no place to report the matter except to another branch of the force ……….who wants to report police abuse to the police?
I was once stopped by an officer for a broken light or something and while he was writing the ticket I decided to ask him to check out a certain area where I knew for certain that there was hard drug activity. He didn't give me a ticket …….at that point he simply let me go. I thought that spoke voulmes and certainly sent me a message. Unfoutunately my grandmother lives close to that location and I often worry abouther but clearly the cops have no intension of doing any real work. My grandmother is simply too old to want to move from her home and why should she ……..I remember watching cops roll past waving to the gang drug boys selling coke ……..and then I saw these same cops try to rough up an older uncle who spends his days fishing and smoking weed. I mean they go after a old fisher man who sticks to himself all day long vs gang thugs who kill, rob and steal ………..I mean I have come to expect nothing from them. Further more it seems the more cops we have the more crime we have.
Why are the Anti-Corruption Commission crowing about a failure to properly bring claims against an extortionist?
One down more to follow! good work jury.
He thought everyone is an idiot to believe in his story.
He was his own worst enemy on the stand. What a bulls#*t story!
Elvis has left the building.
I agree punishment is in order but everybody makes mistakes. I dont feel it fair to come on here bashing people. Really sad to see that a young caymanian felt he could risk his moral, career and future for $500.
Risk his moral? He didn't have any morals. There isn't much worse than a dirty cop, unless it's a stupid dirty cop.
You people bash non caymanian cops on a daily basis that haven't even done this type of thing. Since he is caymanian you call foul. If he were jamaican you would be calling for a maximum sentance and then deportation. but as a caymanina you just want to smack him on the back of the hand and say everyone makes mistakes. The only mistake he made was to think anyone would believe it was a loan from a stranger.
That's $500.00 per incident.
Out of curiosity, at what price do you think it would have been a good idea rather than a "mistake(or blackmail as most decent people would call it). Incidentally, for him to be guilty of bribery and breach of trust under the law he would have to commit a conscious act, knowing it to be wrong – a deliberate choice, not a mistake like its some form of accident.
To 16/052014. 09.47
He is NOT a young Caymanian,he is a a grown up MAN.
Intimidated,threatend,thought he could get away with it,because it was JUST a filipino .Should be shamed of himself,bully broke the law,now do the time,man up,and be a better human being.
Nasty thing to do.
What does it have to do with being a young Caymanian? Are you sympathetic because he is a Caymanian? Nationality has nothing to do with it. If he was Jamaican, Canadian, Honduran, it doesn't matter, it's sad to see a young person with a good career do something so silly and lose your career over this. I pity him and others like him, whatever nationality.
There is an old proverb that says "Monkey see, Monkey do". Caymanians beware, don't play the game of Donkey because at the end of the day you will be the one that get stuck with the tail.
Good year so far by the anti. Corruption cops. Still some way to go yet though.
If there are concerns, can he not be sent to a UK Prison.
Reply to 16/05/2014 09.24
He would be eaten alive.
Of previous good character huh? That's a laugh for anyone who got assigned this "cop" to investigate a complaint.
See the problemwith most of the dumbasses that read the cns articles are just dumbasses.
I do believe that the articles prior to the "botched" conviction if any of you dumbasses read them you would see that as one prior idiot on here quite rightly noted that the crown witness was proven to be dishonest and a liar, who only testified because he was " intending on being paid if that hasn't already happened, in exchange for his testimony. In the uk we refer to the crowns main witness as being a " self serving witness" for the dumbasses that don't know what that means- a person who testifies for their own benefit (in this case he wanted financial assistance for a particular reason, in exchange for not being prosecuted).
Herein lies the other problem with CNS articles followed by comments is based solely on the facts that in most instances the full story which has two sides but the only side most often heard in Court Cases is the side from the prosecution (the crown).
As another comment on here by what one would have to assume as either being or used to be a Police officer here who worked with officer convicted is thathe was lazy ,unlikeable and untrustworthy person , the issue here is that the person making such comment clearly himself/herself never got much police work done as it would appear that himself/herself was always watching the officer and themself equally as lazy as if they themself were busy at work wouldn't or couldn't have time to notice what some is doing or not doing . And if the officer was as stated lazy, unlikeable and untrustworthy why then wasn't he reported since the word untrustworthy lends to make one believe the officer was passing info on! But then the person making the comment further says himself/herself couldn't prove anything. Clearly the comment was just to fit in with the rest of cns comments to bash ppl. I know of the officer and as far as I am concerned he was not lazy nor unlikeable nor untrustworthy, he was quite rigourous and diligent and keen to get the job done , he was one of the few the we west bayers could go to and feel safe in doing so as the Rcips is know for leaks, which me personally provided info as to drug activities to this officer and actually saw results by way of arrest, and put b4 the courts, never had no issues with threats cause he leaked that it was me or john brown or Mary Jane, he was the only officer when he worked In my district west bay that did any work and could always be seen on the road in the nights straight thru till morning, unlike the police officer (jamaican ) that I personally saw sleeping in the police car in front of west bay police station back in 06 little after 8am and had only came on duty an hour or so b4. Isn't it strange that he was in the RCIPS for nearly 12 years and this is the first time it has come about that as a comment made suggested that this was unlikely to be the first time he took money, was it that he was that good at extorting money from people to go undetected for so many years, or isn't it possible that it were in fact really a loan? I mean impeccable record for his years in the service could only mean that the (crown) never put forward anything against him to say that there was ever any allegation of such nature made against him in the years gone by till present. Somewhat strange to suggest he took or might have done this b4. Perhaps we would need to have been present in court to see the case in its entirety to fully understand the circumstances I mean I would really like that to have been possible. In the end I could care less about any of it ,am just saying that wouldn't it be better to know the full facts before we comment based on parts of the trial and not the whole trial itself?
School children in China knew that the loan story was a poorly fabricated lie. XXXX The judge will not have any leniency on Mr. Ebanks when sentencing comes because he was still getting his full salary since his arrest/suspension and he has wasted the Court's time and resources by pleading not guilty. Mr. Ebanks should have man up and take responsibilities forhis actions, it would have gone in his favor also at the time of sentencing. Do you guys believe that this was the first time Mr. Ebanks abused his powers as a Police Officer to obtain money??? I have no sympathy for corrupt law enforcement officers.
Oh man, I'm all shook up!
This is unfortunate given his previous good character and no previous convictions, however in a position of trust, the public expects honesty and integrity. It is so important to avoid any type of situation that could give the appearance that one is acting for personal gain.
Or to actually act for personal gain when in a position of trust, using threats to extort money.
His impeccable record means he never got caught before, that is all. I won't ever forget working with him because I always had my hackles up….I never trusted him. My biggest concern was fellow officers being associated with the criminal element and passing info along to the bad guys. I never knew for sure, but he was one of only 2 guys that made me think that, so I cannot say I am surprised.
This is just the start as more will be found in (rcips) and tried convicted too,but its a lot of cover up,its coming to the end now follow officers,who is playing both sides like how this officer was doing,a lot of dirt will come out now in regards to him.
Better know as the CRIPS. Crooked Royal Island Police Service.
Why was he not charged with blackmail? From the report, with the threat of prosecution, it seemed plain old extortion which is a more serious offence. Rather than smugly crowing about the botched prosecution, the authorities have some serious explaining to do as to why he got off so lightly on the charges. I say botched, because the trial in this case was put off in manners that must have risked dismissal of the case without trial. Luckily justice has been done, but being Cayman, no doubt there will be an appeal.
Oh dear.
Given his position, the fact that he has continued to deny everything (and thereby by definition shown absolutely no remorse for what he has done) he surely should be considered for a very stiff custodial sentence.
On the other hand he has human rights that cannot be violated and unless his wellbeing in prison can be guaranteed he cannot be placed there.
If, as we are told, he si a long serving oficer of previously impeccable work credentials it has to follow that there are going to be people in Northward with very specific reasons to consider doing him harm with relatively little to lose of they do so.
With what we are told of the security (or lack of) in Northward can we honestly have faith that no harm will come to him while in jail (at least without unprecedneted and exceptionally expensive measures).
Therein lies the problem here. Justice isonly done if an appropriate sentence is given but I can't see how it woudl be safe to impose an appropriate sentence here.
Some conundrum. Good luck with that Charlie!
To bad for him, he should have thought about what he did before doing it….a corrupt police officer is worse then a corrupt non police officer. who cares where they put him, he will deserve what he gets
And that is why he should be jailed and treated as any other common thief.
The problem across every aspect of modern society is that no thought is given to accountability. Quite apart from being a police officer, had he thought through the possible consequences of what he started to put in action, he may have been brought up short – had he thought of the possibility that he would be caught and imprisoned if convicted.
Treating criminals with kid gloves on account of "special circumstances" only fuels antisocial behaviour – he, and others who follow his precedent, will think nothing of getting caught as they will plead their special circumstances and get off or be relieved of the severity of the punishment.
It has to be kept in mind the base and deceitful way he ran his defence. He has been dishonest to the end.
08:21. What he should have done is charge the man who took the phone in the first place instead of letting him go because the owner of the phone was willing to let it slide.
It has worked out alright before with previous cops in Northward, and I am sure there are more to come in future.
He'll be OK in there, he looked out for the bad guys
Got no sympathy for a dishonest person, especially one who should be upholding the law.
no problem. we have room always
Liars always think their story makes sense. It may have made sense to an 7 year old.
What do you mean, liars, are you referring to the crowns main witness or the officer? Cause from what I been reading on the other articles it would appear from face value is that the witness was caught in a number of lies and knew that he was doing so deliberately . That's a lie when you know its is not out of panic or fear or involving others but simply put the witness was lying and deliberately doing so knowing full and well he was. Just to bolster his version of the story perhaps if you were in court the last mistrial in feb this year you would have a better appreciation of why the witness lied under oath.
This is sad.
For whom?
15/05/2014. 17.05
He prayed on Filipino WP holder,he thought that the victim would be to fraid to go to the REAL police,WELL,he got his come uppennce ,there are good honest police and good honest judges and jury's and he got found guilty as he should have been. I just can't figure how he got anyone to defend him ? Such a silly story,my 5 year old tells better fables .what a waste of public money.
Now give him a proper sentence in a real big people prison.Send him to UK. Inmates there would love to meet him. Corrupt cop? Breakfast ,corrupt foreign cop? Dinner bell.
Thieving POS, put him where he belongs, in prison with the rest of the island's thieves.
Most criminals go to jail. So Mr. Ebanks should NOT be an exception, just because he used to be a cop.
Maybe he has "friends" in positions of influence in the policy oversight of HMP – maybe herein lies part of the difference in his treatment.
What?