A man who was accused by the police of 'roboting' while taking his neighbour's children to school in St Catherine, now has to find money to pay for wrecker fees and storage because his motorcar was seized.

The man is crying abuse of police power. He said he was not roboting, and the police did not prove he had committed such a breach.

"I was almost at the school gate when some policemen came up and accused me of roboting," the man said.

"I explained to them that I was doing no such thing, and was merely taking my children and my neighbour's children to school. The policemen searched my motorcar and could find no proof that I was running a robot taxi. I had a small pair of scissors in my car. One of the policemen took it out and said I had a concealed weapon in my car.

personal use

"I explain to them that I had the pair of scissors for my personal use, and it was not to harm anyone. To my shock and dismay, I was arrested. I was handcuffed and placed in a police vehicle.

"Luckily for me, a senior police officer, on hearing what was transpiring, intervened and told the constables to release me. It was obvious he did not agree with them.

"I was released and did not have to spend the day or night in a filthy jail, but I have suffered financial losses. I am of the firm opinion that the policemen, in their attempt to accuse me of roboting, tried to pin a charge on me that I had a concealed weapon.

By the time the senior police officer intervened, my motorcar was already towed away by a wrecker. I am now forced to pay wrecker fees to get back my car. I don't think that is fair to me.When I went to collect my vehicle, I was informed I should go to a certain police station to have my driver's licence checked to ascertain if I had committed any traffic breaches.

"I committed no offence for which my car should have been towed at the directive of the police. I am a law-abiding citizen and should not have been treated in that fashion. This is a very traumatic and stressful experience for me. My friends have suggested that I should take steps to get back the money, I will have to spend unnecessarily, through no fault of my own," he said.

You should not have to pay to get back your motorcar since you were falsely accused and arrested. The police should have authorised the release of your motorcar. However, since they did not do so, you will have to file a suit in the Resident Magistrate's Court in the parish where the offence took place. You could claim for loss of use of your motorcar. The suit will have to be filed against the attorney general and the policemen who seized your motorcar.

"I was released and did not have to spend the day or night in a filthy jail, but I have suffered financial losses. I am of the firm opinion that the policemen, in their attempt to accuse me of roboting, tried to pin a charge on me that I had a concealed weapon.