St Lucian – I heard that the Coastguard officers beat people

A 22-year-old sea captain of Vieux Fort, St Lucia, told the court that the only reason he abandoned his boat and jumped into the water when he saw Coastguard officers approaching was because he had heard that they beat people.{{more}}

Medley Felix, fisherman, pleaded guilty to entering this country illegally by boat without the consent of immigration officials.

The court heard that Felix disembarked at Morne Ronde without the consent of immigration on February 7, 2012.

For his actions, Senior Magistrate Donald Browne sentenced him to three months imprisonment and immediate deportation after his sentence.

Stating that he came here to drop off food items, Felix said he jumped overboard when he saw the Coastguard. He told Magistrate Browne that one of his friends from St Lucia who came here before told him that he was beaten by police.

“When he come back, I saw the marks on he face and he tell me is the Coastguard, so when I see them, I jump because I think I woulda get beat…,” he explained.

The court heard that Coastguard officers were patrolling the Morne Ronde area when the they saw the vessel named “Dawn Princess” with four persons on it.

When they got closer to the boat, the officers realised that only three of the men were onboard the vessel.

The men on the boat explained to the officers that their captain had jumped overboard.

A few days later, Felix turned up at the Chateubelair police station and told officers what took place.