Juvenile accuses Nevis police of torture during interrogation

By Pauline Waruguru
Nevis Reporter-SKNVibes.com

CHARLESTOWN, Nevis – A juvenile who is accused of stealing EC$10 682 worth of items belonging to students of the Medical University of the Americas (MUA) has accused the police on Nevis of torture.

Lawyer for the 14-year-old, Geoffrey Romany told the Magistrate’s Court yesterday (Jan. 13) that his client claimed a Taser and cold water had been applied to his body while in police custody.

The lawyer said that his client was allegedly tortured at the police station and coerced into recording a statement in the absence of his family members.

“The statement was made under duress. He was interrogated without the permission of family members…interrogation should have been continued in the presence of parents,” the defense lawyer said. 

According to the officer who arrested the juvenile, the 14-year-old was first informed in the presence of his family that he was a suspect and was also told that he should record a statement. The lawman admitted that there was more than one police officer involved between the time the juvenile was arrested and the time he recorded the statement. He however denied having any knowledge of him being tortured. 

Romany told the court the allegation his client had made was “very serious” and requested that the case be adjourned until all officers involved in the juvenile’s arrest give evidence in court.  ~~Adz:Right~~

The juvenile pleaded not guilty to charges of break and enter and larceny which were committed on September 5, 2008. He is alleged to have stolen from David Ash, an Apple laptop valued at EC$2 650, an Apple iPod valued at EC$265, a Silver Digital camera valued at EC$795, and coins amounting to EC$50.

The juvenile is also alleged to have stolen from Eduardo Chen, an Acer laptop valued at EC$2 650, an Apple iPod valued at EC$265, a dark blue cellular phone valued at EC$530, a black lap top bag valued at EC$135, and four packets of penlight batteries valued at EC$30.

The accused is also alleged to have stolen one Sony Play Station valued at EC$1 590, one digital camera valued at EC$530, and one blackberry cellular phone valued at EC$927 from Brandon Browne.

According to Police Prosecutor Inspector Andre Mitchell, investigations revealed that the articles were stolen while the students were away from their apartment, located in Nisbet Settlement. He told the court that Ash, Chen and Browne had left the apartment on September 5 at 5:00 p.m. but Chen returned at 8:00 p.m.

Chin, in his testimony, said on his return to the apartment he observed that the living room was not as they had left it and on investigating discovered that the items were missing. He immediately alerted his housemates and, subsequently, the police.

According to the students’ evidence, the police visited the crime scene on the following morning and they took their statements at the New Castle Police Station. They were later invited to the same station to identify the stolen items after they were recovered.

According to the police, acting on information received, a search was conducted and the items were found hidden in a plastic bag in a pasture off Shaw’s Road. 

Romany did not object to the students leaving the court with their property when Magistrate Yasmine Clarke adjourned the case. He however said the aspect of the case that was not conclusive is his client’s allegation of torture. 

The students had earlier told Magistrate Clarke that they were being inconvenienced by the delay in getting back their computers and that it was affecting their performance at school.

The hearing continues.