... Cop was to be promoted

Embattled Senior Super-intendent James Forbes was in line for promotion to the rank of assistant commissioner of Police at the time of his arrest on corruption charges.

The revelation came from Deputy Commissioner Linval Bailey as he gave evidence - mainly character evidence - in Forbes' corruption trial yesterday.

Bailey, who was testifying in the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court, said at the time of his arrest in 2012, Forbes had already completed the processes for several stages of the promotion exercise.

"The success at one stage leads you to the next [stage], and as far as I know he has completed all the stages," said Bailey as he sought to indicate how far along Forbes' promotion had reached.

The court has also heard evidence that Forbes underwent and passed a polygraph test as part of the promotion process, which included questions about the allegations in his corruption trial.

SSP Forbes is on trial for attempting to pervert the course of justice arising from a meeting he "facilitated" at his St Andrew offices between businessman Bruce Bicknell and two policemen, one of whom had arrested Bicknell for allegedly offering the other cop a bribe during a traffic stop in east Kingston in April 2012.

Prosecutors have charged that a decision was taken at the meeting not to place the matter before the court, even though Bicknell had been charged and released on bail.