By TIFFANY TAYLOR – STAR Writer—
Superintendent Allison Byfield, head of the St Thomas Police Division.
Head of the St Thomas police, Superintendent Allison Byfield, is dismissing claims by popular dancehall artiste Popcaan, who said that police under her command are targeting him.
Popcaan, given name Andre Sutherland, was on Sunday charged with several offences under the Road Traffic Act, including driving an unlicensed motorcycle, driving without insurance coverage, and driving without a helmet.
“I don’t know of the St Thomas police having any grudge or any ill-will or ill-feeling against this person, I don’t know. What I know is that we have been getting reports of river parties being held in the Sunning Hill area. Whenever the police visit the area, persons scatter and they run in bushes. We hear that the parties being held are by a gentleman by the name of Popcaan, same Andre Sutherland,” Byfield said.
She said the police received reports that a river party was being held in Sunning Hill on Sunday, April 25. Acting upon intelligence, she said the police went there and intercepted a fleet of vehicles.
Under the Disaster Risk Management Act (DRMA), there is a ban on all public events. Public beaches and rivers are also to remain closed until May 4. Byfield said an inspector of police who was on the scene asked a man for the registration documents for the bike.
“A male figure on the bike, when the inspector asked him ‘Where is the documents for the bike?’ he told the inspector ‘yuh can tek it’. So the police asked him for his driver’s licence. He said he doesn’t have one and she asked him for it again, he said he doesn’t have it. Hence, summons were prepared and served on him for breaches of the Road Traffic Act,” Byfield said.
In a social media rant on Monday, the deejay said he is now contemplating moving his Unruly Fest event from his home parish of St Thomas as he felt he was being targeted by cops there.
Byfield, in response, said everyone is subject to the laws of the land, and everyone travelling through the parish must have a vehicle that is properly regulated and deemed fit for the road.
The senior cop said that Popcaan was previously warned about hosting events in contravention of the DRMA.
“One day last week, the police went there and saw him. He was there with some other persons and the police did not prosecute him, but he was warned and asked him to pack up and leave,” she said. “The police could have charged him then but they did not, so I don’t think he’s being targeted. In fact, the inspector who prosecuted him on Sunday didn’t know who he was at the time, and even if she did, this is a very professional inspector – a principled person.” Popcaan is set to appear in court on June 3.
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