Woman, 22, says police strip-searched her

A 22-year-old Lowmans Leeward resident said that she was unfairly strip-searched by the police on Monday, while trying to lodge a complaint.{{more}}

Ayesha Holder said that she went to the Central Police Station to file a complaint on Monday afternoon, after trying unsuccessfully to collect, from the National Lotteries Authority (NLA), money she had won from a “Scratch and Win” game card.

She explained that while waiting in line at the NLA office, she gave two people a chance to go before her. However, the second person allowed someone else to go and Holder thought it was unfair.

Holder said that the woman at the booth continued to take numbers from the man even though it was her turn.

“I say miss, I was here before he. I ready to go,” Holder said she told the woman.

After being ignored several times, Holder said she said “Miss if you [don’t] give me my money me go break down the whole of in [here]”.

Holder told SEARCHLIGHT that the woman was rude to her and as she did not get her money, she decided to go to the police.

“The lady throw the ticket to me and tell me go to the police. So, me go to the police because she na want give me me money,” Holder said.

It seemed that Holder’s problems were just beginning, because she said that her treatment was no better at the police station.

She said she received hurtful remarks from a male officer, after which she cursed a “dirty word”.

Holder also said that she was accused of using cocaine by a female officer of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), which was followed by the strip-search in a bathroom, conducted by two female CID officers.

“I go to the police and dem the right way and the police dem treat me like a dog,” Holder said tearfully.

“They hold me and strip me naked as I born,” she said, adding that the last thing the police did to her was to raise her leg and flash a light between her legs.

The 22-year-old said that she felt uncomfortable after the search, especially since she had not eaten for the day, so she asked one of the female officers if she could stay in the bathroom for a while.

“I told her I would sit down here until I catch myself. She say ‘Come! You can’t stay in here!’,” Holder related.

After telling them she was not coming out, Holder said they came and dragged her out of the bathroom.

“They haul me and drag me on the ground…all the police come out and looking,” she said.

Holder expressed great discomfort and said that she was not lying nor crazy and all she wanted was to be treated fairly.

“People saying I crazy and I want to prove them wrong, because I’m not crazy …I know my rights and I need my equal rights and justice,” Holder declared.

When contacted by SEARCHLIGHT, the Police Public Relations and Complaints Department said that they did not have any information on Holder being strip-searched and advised that she come to their office to explain her grievances.(BK)