Mahdia family says man wrongfully locked up after “dhal” fight with cop
A family is accusing the police in Mahdia, Region Eight of abusing their authority after they arrested a father of two who was involved in a scuffle with a policeman over food.
Lennox Matheson, 36, was reportedly taken into police custody Tuesday and family members claim that the police refused to place him on bail.
It is alleged that on Monday evening, Lennox went to a food vendor to purchase “ital” when a police officer in plain clothes, identified as Dellon Scotland arrived after him and placed an order.
The food vendor reportedly served the police officer first, causing Lennox to remark “a baldhead getting served before a Rasta.”
This comment reportedly irked the officer, who instigated an argument with the man.
Abigail Matheson, an eyewitness and sister of the man in custody, told News Room that the two ended up in a fight and a plastic cup of dhal, which was in the hands of the police officer, eventually fell on both of the men.
The woman claimed that both individuals received minor burns about their bodies from the dhal.
She recalled that the duo went separate ways after the fight was parted by another bystander. But the same evening, a group of police officers was combing the area in search of Lennox.
“It was then we get to know that the man [who was involved in the fight] was a police officer,” Abigail told News Room. Abigail claimed that the cop is not stationed in Mahdia.
The following morning, Lennox reportedly visited the police station in the company of his lawyer, Dexter Todd.
“He get charged when we went to the station but they didn’t put him through the court,” Abigail said.
She said the lawyer then requested that the man is released on bail but the request was denied by the cops. Abigail claimed that no explanation was given.
“Although the lawyer insisting and telling them it’s a bailable offence, they’re not putting him on bail,” she claimed.
With court in Mahdia slated to end on Friday and to recommence until three months later, family members are worried about what the next step will be, particularly, how long the father of two will remain behind bars.
Further, Abigail alleged that whenever family members go to the police station to make enquiries, they are being treated rudely by the officers there.
Divisional Commander Kevin Adonis, when contacted by News Room, could not comment on the matter. Adonis claimed that he was not apprised of the details of the case and that he is yet to make contact with officers in Mahdia to be briefed on the situation.