St Ann Man police forced to apologise to PM sues gov’t

St Ann resident Shaquille Higgins whose video-recorded, police-directed apology to Prime Minister Andrew Holness went viral last year, has sued the government.

Higgins was arrested in July after he allegedly disrespected the Prime Minister and expressed disregard for the COVID-19 containment measures.

But the police said cops visited his home because he was the subject of a larceny matter.

They said he was taken to the police station and was later released after a question-and-answer session.

An internal police probe was also launched into the conduct of the cops.

Meanwhile, Higgins is seeking damages for false imprisonment and assault.

He is also seeking damages for aggravated and exemplary damages.

The St Ann hotel worker is also claiming damages for breach of the Constitution, damages under the Cyber Crime Act and any other relief as the court deems fit.

Attorneys-at-law Bert Samuels and Charles Ganga-Singh are representing Higgins in the suit, which was filed in the Supreme Court last week.

Higgins, who works as a busboy at the Moon Palace Hotel in St Ann has named the Attorney General as the defendant.

He contends that on July 26 last year, he was detained and falsely imprisoned for 24 hours without reasonable cause.

- Barbara Gayle

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