By Elesha George
Former commissioner of police, Rawlston Pompeyis advising residents, especially those in poorer communities, to follow the Covid-19 regulations to prevent any more cases that may bring the action of police officers into disrepute.
Pompeysuggested that these areas are being policed more frequently than the more affluent communities, sharing that some police officers are “hunting for people to take before the magistrate”.
His comments come after 26-year-old Johnathan Joseph was beaten, arrested and charged last month, following an altercation with a police officer in St Johnston’s Village.
Joseph’s lawyer, Warren Cassell, believes the officer used unreasonable force and has also accused other officers of trying to intimidate witnesses.
Meanwhile, the former commissioner said after visiting the place where the incident occurred, he believes that the charges brought against Joseph are “unlawful”.
Joseph has been charged for with failing to comply with curfew restrictions, resisting arrest, making use of indecent and threatening language, being armed with an offensive weapon and battery on a police officer.
The former commissioner of police pointed to the fact that the officer did not identify himself before approaching Joseph and subsequently entered his home and beat him. He also reasoned that the attire of the police man at the time was not commensurate to someone who was on duty.
“If he didn’t do that [identify himself as police], he had no business running the man in his house,” he stressed.
Nevertheless, Pompey said that these individuals should know that even in cases where they may be in the right, their “rights will not be attended to” until the state of emergency and curfew are lifted and they can receive access to proper representation.