Article: Police offered $50,000 bribe over $3.80 train ticket

[ozbob]

From the Courier Mail click here!

Police offered $50,000 bribe over $3.80 train ticket

Police offered $50,000 bribe over $3.80 train ticket
Article from: The Courier-Mail

Tristan Swanwick

December 22, 2008 04:10pm

AN international student offered police $50,000 to "forget what happened" when he was caught on a Brisbane train without a ticket, which would have cost $3.80.
Jehoiachin Onyins Ogbe, 25, ended up on bribery charges for offering police $50,000 after they caught him evading a $3.80 train fare.

He will also be deported from the country for overstaying his visa, the Brisbane District Court heard today.

Prosecutor Kris Ashen said police escorted the Nigerian man from a city-bound train in June this year after he could not produce a valid ticket.

Ogbe was arrested and taken to the Petrie police station after giving police false information, he said.

Police inquiries revealed the man was an illegal immigrant who had disappeared after his student visa expired in January last year.

While the man was handcuffed and placed inside a police van he began to resist violently and repeatedly yelled, "I am a police officer, I am not going with you," the court was told.

While en-route to the Caboolture Watchhouse Ogbe began kicking the van walls so violently the vehicle momentarily lost traction, with the police officer driving forced to correct the steering wheel.

After being placed inside a holding cell the Nigerian man insisted he was an American FBI agent, and began hitting his head against the cell door, prompting police to transfer him to a padded cell.

During the transfer the man bit a police officer on the wrist, breaking the skin and drawing blood, Mr Ashen said.

Once in the padded cell the defendant offered police $50,000 to release him and drop the charges, the court was told.

Ogbe yesterday pleaded guilty to a raft of charges including seriously assaulting police, wilful damage, travelling without paying a fare and bribery.

The court heard the bitten police officer endured months of ongoing "emotional problems" as he waited for a blood test to clear him of serious infection.

Judge Terrence Martin, SC, told Ogbe he had learned a "very expensive lesson".

"Your behaviour that night was appalling," he said.

He sentenced him to six months in jail.

The court heard the Nigerian man has been held in custody by the Department of Immigration for the last six months and would be immediately deported.

[ButFli]

Poor guy clearly has mental issues.

[Mozz]

Poor Police who have to deal with this type of individual - biting and drawing blood = serious assault on Police and significant impact for the next 6 - 12 months minimum on the police officer bitten.

[ButFli]

I didn't mean to take anything away from the  very difficult job our police officers do every day. I just wanted it known that it would be very easy to say some very inappropriate things about old-mate when he is clearly a few roos short of a toolbox.