An official police report was yesterday made against the arresting officer in an incident which saw Crime Watch host Ian Alleyne being arrested outside the home of Central car dealer Sheron Sukhdeo.
Alleyne was arrested and charged last Tuesday by rival television presenter, Insp Roger Alexander, after Alleyne visited Sukhdeo’s Orchard Gardens, Chaguanas, home and attempted to go inside while police were about to conduct a search of the property.
The incident between Alleyne and Alexander was captured by a CNC3 cameraman and footage was shown of Alleyne being body-slammed against the businessman’s vehicle, which was parked at the side of the road.
Yesterday, Alleyne’s attorney, Gerald Ramdeen, after an hour-long meeting inside the Chaguanas Police Station, told reporters they felt “it was the proper thing to do. We encountered some challenges at first, but Mr Alleyne made a statement as to what transpired from the moment he was wrongfully arrested to the time he was charged,” stated Ramdeen, who was initially stopped outside the station by a uniformed police officer.
Ramdeen said they first had to indicate the reason for their visit before being allowed into the station. The officer, he said, indicated that he had been instructed to allow only people filing official reports.
“I and my client have attended numerous police stations across this country and I myself can say I have never encountered the public being barred to enter any station or being asked to state their business outside on the compound before being allowed in,” he said.
Initially, Ramdeen said his presence had been objected to by officers, but after an amicable meeting Alleyne’s report was taken by PC Moore.
Also present during the station visit was Inspector Harry. Alleyne’s cameraman, Russel Basdeo, was also allowed in.
Ramdeen told the media that he objected to the involvement of a particular officer, as he was allegedly responsible for video-taping and uploading footage of Alleyne in a cell at the station on the day of his arrest.
That video also went viral on social media. Ramdeen said an official complaint was made to the Police Complaints Authority (PCA) regarding those claims and the officer in question had been named.
Ramdeen also questioned the decision by the T&T Police Service (TTPS) not to launch an investigation. He, however, acknowledged that the PCA was statutorily barred from probing the matter while proceedings were before the courts. President of the Police Service Social and Welfare Association, Anand Ramesar, has since called for an investigation into the incident. Ramdeen said Alleyne would be using the entire incident to lobby against police brutality in the country.
When asked about additional footage making the rounds on social media, in which Alleyne could be heard using obscene language, the talk show host called for the public not to be “distracted” from the real issue.
“The real issue, regardless of video and footage, is police brutality. I am no different from the man on the Beetham, Gonzales, Arima, anywhere else in this country. I will make this my personal cause to make sure police brutality stops now. It’s me today, tomorrow it could be you, your son, your daughter, anyone,” Alleyne said.
Basdeo also meanwhile denied a media report that he was the only person who had a recording in which Alleyne was heard using obscene language.
“I have heard of this rumour and am in the process of taking legal action. What has been said is totally untrue and there is no evidence to support those statements,” Basdeo said.