Lawyer – Sandy wants apology from police

Dwaine “Tall Man” Sandy says since his name and photograph appeared on a wanted poster published by the police, his life has taken a turn for the worse, with the latest incident happening on September 2.{{more}}

He said on that day, he travelled to Trinidad to try out for a football team with hope of securing a contract, but he was turned back by immigration officials at Piarco International Airport.

“When I left here and arrived in Trinidad, when the woman swipe my passport, she told me I dey pon St Vincent watch list still, so I wouldn’t be able to come into the country unless I have some proper notification from someone in higher society…,” Sandy told SEARCHLIGHT on Wednesday.

Sandy said his passport was given back to him and was he was made to return to SVG.

Local police released a wanted poster of Sandy on June 13, 2013 following a robbery and shooting incident in Kingstown earlier that day. Police officer Julanie Jack was shot, and an office attendant of the Postal Corporation robbed of approximately $100,000 close to midday.

Four days later, Sandy, escorted by counsel Grant Connell, turned himself in to local authorities after arriving in SVG on a LIAT flight from Grenada. He was kept in custody for two days, then released without charges being brought against him. One day later, he was taken up by police for what they said was “safe keeping”. He was again released without being charged.

The lanky lad said the entire ordeal, ever since the wanted poster of him was released by police, has left him frustrated.

“Ah have me son (two years old) and I can’t take care of him. He celebrated his birthday on September 7..,” he said.

According to the Brighton resident, he has been the discriminated against since he’s been labelled as a “wanted man”.

“People just watching me as if I am a criminal. If I go somewhere, they watching like something going to pop off, because they just thinking I’m a criminal,” he added.

Sandy said all he wants is to get this matter behind him and go back to earning a living from the game he loves to play.

“I have my family to see about. I can’t get a job locally just because people watching me different. I just trying to

seek a job outside so I can take care of my youth and help my mother.

Meanwhile, Sandy’s lawyer Grant Connell has written to the authorities requesting an apology, stating that Sandy is not a wanted man, neither is he on the watch list for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

On Wednesday, Connell told SEARCHLIGHT that with Sandy’s latest incident in Trinidad, he is confident the problem can be rectified.

“We all make mistakes and I guess that was one that the police made. They have their reasons why and the way they investigate matters, I really can’t question that operation. But obviously something went wrong,” Connell said.

“A wanted man was brought to them. He was released and picked back up for safe-keeping. He was given back his passport and now he’s free to travel, but can’t enter…,” he added.

According to Connell, there’s now “a competent police commissioner” in place who can rectify the matter.

Connell said he is only acting on instructions and has not received any further instructions to do otherwise, than to request that the authorities issue an apology and an official release, stating that Sandy is no longer on the watch list for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Connell’s letter was copied to Minister of National Security Dr. Ralph Gonsalves; Attorney General Judith Jones-Morgan; Director of Public Prosecutions Colin Williams; Chief Immigration Officer Stanford Hamilton; Minister of Sports and Culture Cecil McKie and Julius Edward of Malabar Football Club, Trinidad and Tobago. (KW)