Women released after fight over Facebook post

TWO women were taken before a San Fernando magistrate yesterday charged with fighting inside the San Fernando Police Station over a social media post.

One posted something about the other on her Facebook page, which led to the fight.
Jamika Joachim, 23, of Williamsville and Lamarsha Joseph, 31, of San Fernando, were taken before senior magistrate Jo-Anne Connor charged with disturbing the peace by fighting in the station. They pleaded guilty to the charge laid by WPC Harnarinesingh.

Prosecutor PC Cleyon Seedan told the court at about 12.10am yesterday the women began to fight in the reception area of the station. They exchanged blows before police intervened and parted the fight. No one was injured.

“Allyuh see she hit me first,” Joachim told the police, the court heard.

“She posting all kind of things about me on Facebook.” The prosecutor said Joseph responded.
Attorney Ainsley Lucky, who represented Joachim, said his client is a final-year social sciences student at the University of the West Indies.

He said she was at the station to make a report when the fight started.
“She has a future ahead of her and is about to graduate. She is embarrassed and regrets what happened.”

Lucky said his client had no pending matters or previous convictions and the experience of being in a police cell was traumatic enough for her. He asked the magistrate to dismiss the charge against her.

Attorney Ved Trebouhansingh, who represented Joseph, said his client also did not have any pending or previous convictions, and was the mother of three who was also studying part-time. He said his client was also embarrassed and remorseful about what happened and also asked for his client to be reprimanded and discharged.

Joseph told the magistrate she was fed up of the harassment on Facebook and the lack of respect. “She just continues to harass me.”

Both women apologised to each other in the court. The magistrate dismissed the cases against them.