Two Toronto police officers have been criminally charged and suspended from the force after allegedly stealing money during an arrest, then lying on the stand at Old City Hall court.

The officers, each with 12 years on the force, have been charged with theft over $5,000, obstructing justice and perjury in connection to a May 2017 arrest involving a man who was charged with drug and gun offences.

According to the allegations from Toronto police, cash was seized during the arrest but the officers “failed to account for a portion of that money.”

During the preliminary inquiry in February 2018, it’s alleged that officers “provided false or misleading testimony.” All of the charges against the man were then stayed.

Toronto lawyer Kim Schofield represented the man who was arrested, and said she and her client brought concerns about police forward to the force’s professional standards unit. She said there were “some real disturbing details” in the case.

According to Schofield, there is pertinent surveillance video that she obtained from outside a business where the arrest happened.

Const. Aseem Malhi and Const. Richard White, both of Toronto’s northwest 12 Division, turned themselves in to police and were charged.

They are scheduled to appear in court on October 31.

The officers have been suspended with pay in accordance with the Police Services Act.