Accused police officer Elvis Kelsey Ebanks’ trial of taking a bribe began on Tuesday (5) in Cayman’s Grand Court.

Ebanks (28) has denied taking a bribe from a Filipino national in exchange for not pursuing an investigation into a possible theft.

Ebanks is charged with bribery offences under Cayman Islands’ anti-corruption legislation – 2 counts of corruptly obtaining cash, contrary to section 10 of the Anti-Corruption Law 2008 and 2 counts of breach of trust, contrary to section 13 of the Anti-Corruption Law 2008.

The police officer is accused of extracting nearly CI$650 bribe from a Filipino national, Len Ferraris, in exchange for not investigating how he came into possession of a phone that belonged to a third party.

Ebanks, who is now suspended from duty, claimed the money he reportedly took from the complainant was a loan.

In an undercover operation the police recorded calls between Ferraris and Ebanks after a family member of Ferraris, who had been told of the incident, reported the matter to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service.

The police gave Ferraris five one hundred dollar bills in a white bag where the serial numbers of the notes had been recorded. Ferraris then arranged to meet Ebanks at Countryside Shopping village in Savannah, where he would hand over the money to him.

The court heard from the Crown that after the exchange and Ebanks’ assurance that he would not be arrested. undercover police officers, who were also there, followed Ebanks. They pulled his car over and Ebanks tried to make his escape but was blocked from doing so by the undercover officers. After refusing to get out the car he was forcibly removed by them. During an ensuring struggle in which money from the bag was scattered around Ebanks was finallyarrested and charged with two counts of bribery and breach of trust.

The case continues before Justice Charles Quin.