A woman employed at the Customs Department as a cleaner was today granted ,000 bail signed surety for numerous offences, including obstructing traffic, failing to remove a vehicle by the request of a Police Officer and resisting arrest.
Feddis Mathias, 32, a native of St. Vincent who has been living in the BVI for eleven years pleaded not guilty to the charges of failing to remove a vehicle by request of an officer, parking less than 20 feet from an intersection, obstructing traffic, refusing to give name and address and resisting arrest.
The incident took place on October 27, 2011 on Wickhams Cay I service Road.
The mother of three children who resides in West End is represented by Attorney At Law Stephen Daniels.
After the allegations were laid out by the Director of Public Prosecutions office yesterday, November 16, her lawyer told the court that the officer involved in the matter used excessive force and his client has a medical report which will be put before the court when the trial starts. He said that Mathias suffered serious laceration to her hand.
Prosecutor Leslie Ann Faulkner said around 5:00 pm on the date in question, Sergeant Donald Monsanto and a Police Constable were on Police patrol along the DeCastro street in the vicinity of Scotia Bank when they saw motor car PV 107 parked next to the letter boxes. Mathias exited the same car and during this period, the Sergeant signaled to her to move the car from the area as other vehicles behind her were trying to pass at the same time.
The woman then raised her hand and stated, “Move which vehicle”.
Faulkner said the Sergeant then pointed again to her vehicle, but she walked away and went to the ATM machine. At the time, a passenger was inside the car.
The Sergeant followed Mathias inside the area of the ATM and identified himself as a Police Officer in plain clothing. The officer asked her once more to remove the vehicle; however, the woman allegedly asked the officer to move from in front of her so she can conduct her business.
She was told that it is an offence not to comply with an officer and that she was obstructing traffic; however, as the officer cautioned her, the woman moved to another ATM.
She was then asked for her name and address and she stated, “I ain’t got no name.”
During this time, drivers were honking their horns for the vehicle to move. The woman then told the officer that the passenger will move the vehicle as she has already instructed the woman to do so; however, upon a check the passenger told the Police Officer that she cannot drive.
The Sergeant returned to the ATM area and told Mathias that she will be arrested and to accompany the officers to the Police Station.
The court heard that as the officer held on to her wrist, she pulled away. Faulkner said a struggle ensued and shortly after Mathias calmed down and went into the Police jeep.
The trial will commence on January 23.
(Source http://www.bvidailynews.com/news.php?page=Article&articleID=1321495788)
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