Today in the Belize City Magistrate’s Court, Police Constable #1124 Amir Moh was arraigned on a charge of extortion. He pleaded not guilty to the charge and is currently out on a $1,000 bail plus one surety.
The conditions of the bail require that Moh reports to the Orange Walk District police station every Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., and that he does not interfere with the victim, Alexander Tate, a medical technician of a Western Highway address.
According to police, Moh, who is attached to the Ladyville Police Station and was stationed at the Mile 8 Northern Highway checkpoint on Thursday, January 26, 2012, allegedly extorted $70 from Tate for a traffic violation.
Police say that around 10:30 a.m., Tate was in his silver Toyota Tercel vehicle, which was being towed at the time, heading in the direction of Lords Bank when he was stopped by Moh at the Mile 8 checkpoint for a traffic violation regarding his vehicle insurance.
It was at this point, police say, that Moh told Tate that he would be “criminally charged” if Tate did not pay him $70. Tate outsmarted Moh by telling him that he would pay, but would have the money for him when he returned from Lords Bank.
Tate told police that he marked the serial numbers of seven $10 bills that he gave Moh after returning from Lords Bank. Tate reported Moh to the police station and provided the police with the serial numbers of the money he had given Moh.
Police say that Moh was searched immediately, and that the serial numbers matched the ones recorded by Tate.
Moh was arrested and charged with extortion. His next court date is February 23, 2012.
“In our effort to deliver the best service to the community we ask the public to report any improprieties from our police officers to the nearest Police station,” said police.