State agrees to compensate handyman for 2016 arrest

THE STATE has agreed to compensate a part-time handyman who was arrested at his girlfriend’s home in Coalmine, Sangre Grande, in 2016.

Justice Nadia Kangaloo registered a consent order in Kenrick Gyan’s claim against the State, and by consent, the State agreed to pay him $70,000 in compensation.

As a result, Gyan was given permission to withdraw his claim, which alleged he was falsely imprisoned by the police on August 13, 2016.

On that day, he said he was at his girlfriend’s home when, at about 11 pm, police came and executed a search warrant.

Gyan said he was not shown the warrant, but after a 25-minute search, the police found nothing illegal but still handcuffed him and took him to the Cumuto police station, where he was kept until August 17.

He said all he was told was that he was being arrested in relation to “enquiries.”

While at the police station, Gyan said, he was kept in a dirty, cramped cell which had faeces on the floor. He said the stench was horrendous.

On August 17, he was taken out of the cell and questioned about his whereabouts on August 11. Shortly afterwards, he was released from the police station without being charged.

Gyan was represented by attorneys Alana Rambaran and Jared Jagroo.