FORMER policeman, Henry Clement, who is accused of deliberatively absenting himself from court when he was required to be present to give evidence, appeared, on Tuesday, at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and was granted $70,000 bail by Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan.

Clement pleaded not guilty to the obstruction of justice charge and is required to make his next court appearance on July 8.

The charge alleged that Clement, between July 15 and October 21, 2020, at Georgetown, willfully obstructed the course of justice by absenting himself from court despite being warned that he had to give evidence in the case of the State versus Devon Allen, also known as “Bighead”, and Rodrick Thomas, also known as “Roger” for the offence of murder committed on Kelvin Walters.

According to the prosecution, Clement committed the alleged offence while he was a serving member of the Guyana Police Force (GPF). He was warned on several occasions to attend Court 3 at the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court to provide evidence in the preliminary inquiry (PI), but failed to show up.

His absence resulted in the court case being dismissed. Investigations conducted into the circumstances surrounding the dismissal of the case led to Clement’s arrest. Clement was subsequently charged.