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Saltibus Man Cries Foul Over Faked Police Search Warrant

Saltibus-Man-Cries-FoulPOLICE are calling the execution of a search warrant on a Saltibus resident by one of their own a wrongful act and one that should not have been happened.

Police, however, are not investigating the matter, which was brought to their attention this week by this reporter who obtained a copy of the warrant from the aggrieved resident.

The resident, Daniel Isaac has yet to lodge a formal complaint with police regarding the warrant and the search that was conducted at his home for controlled drugs by five plainclothes police officers last month. However he has vowed to take the matter as far as it could go so as to stop police officers from treating citizens the way he was treated.

The search warrant was not dated and was filled in by a female officer who obtained the necessary information from Isaac’s identification card given to her by Isaac when he was asked to hand it over.

“I have no quarrels with police officers doing their jobs, but when it appears that that job has a political fragrance to it, it has to be stopped.” Isaac said.

According to Isaac, the police officers illegally searched his home issuing him a fake warrant as proof of the search’s legality.

“Never have I seen this done before. I am a retired British soldier. I do a lot of work with young people. In 2012 I was part of the Big Brother programme at the Boys Training Center in Massade, Gros Islet. I did some work with some of the boys there. I have a problem with the type of warrant that was handed to me. Can a police officer fill out a search warrant on premises that he/she is about to search and sign it in the same place a magistrate is supposed to sign?.” Isaac asked.

But why would police officers appear at Isaac’s home with a blank warrant to search for controlled drugs?

“I’ve never been known to deal with drugs. I was so shocked? As to why I was targeted by the police I do not know. However my name was being circulated in the community as the possible chairman of the United Workers Party Constituency group. I do not know if there is a link but it is certainly something to think about,” Isaac said.

The warrant, a copy of which the VOICE was able to obtain has been deemed illegal by the police department in that It did not carry a date, was filled in on the premises that was about to be searched by a police officer and signed off by a police officer which is against the Criminal Code of 2008, and the rules of the police department, according to the police press department.

The department has since described the action of the officer as an illegal act.

Two teenage boys who Isaac’s in the house were also searched after which were told to vacate the premises.

The warrant bore the name of a police Corporal. Astonishingly the officer who wrote up the warrant also scrawled some lines in the place a magistrate was supposed to sign. The warrant was signed by the officer in full view of Isaac.

The police press department has directed The VOICE to the section of the Criminal Code that deals with search and seizure.

The Criminal Code also states, among other things, that where a police officer believes that it would be impracticable to appear personally before a magistrate to make an application for a warrant, a warrant may be issued on information submitted by telephone or other means of telecommunication….

Nowhere in the Criminal Code is it stated that an officer has the authority to fill out a warrant and sign it in place of a magistrate or a Justice of the Peace.

Nowhere in the Criminal Code is it stated that an officer has the authority to fill out a warrant and sign it in place of a magistrate or a Justice of the Peace.

Micah George is an established name in the journalism landscape in St. Lucia. He started his journalism tutelage under the critical eye of the Star Newspaper Publisher and well known journalist, Rick Wayne, as a freelancer. A few months later he moved to the Voice Newspaper under the guidance of the paper’s recognized editor, Guy Ellis in 1988.

Since then he has remained with the Voice Newspaper, progressing from a cub reporter covering court cases and the police to a senior journalist with a focus on parliamentary issues, government and politics. Read full bio...

8 Comments

  1. no one came to your house to look for drugs. It is alleged that you being an ex soldier have two illegal firearms at your house. stop blaming the police they cooperated very well with you and so did you.

  2. The mere fact that the Officer did not follow protocol would make anything obtained inadmissible. Clearly they thought he was an ignorant arse and could do as they please.
    If Officers felt so strongly that there were items in there that were contraband, they should have acted within the boundaries of the law
    I do not understand how speaking up for your rights is an attack on the police. I guess there is some information missing???

  3. what protocol was there to be followed. no one ever said or believed the man was an arse. lucky for him the police did not get the firearms. I am a civilian from the saltibus community. This guy is used to spreading all kinds of proganda for attention. He admitted to the fact that the police treated him well and cooperated with him and yet still he is all over the media talking crap. why would a police officer get your id scribble your name on a warrant in your presence. This is pure bull. Why in the first place did they visit your house. This means they had prior info and they would have known your name before that. Stop lying and speak the truth. You do have in your possession a 9mm and a shotgun give it up cause you don’t have a liscense to carry them. allow the police to search in peace. Liar.

  4. You willing took the police to every nook and cranny inside and outside your house and never complained. For your information the police can write your name in the empty space and allow the magistrate or jp to sign, and this is exactly what transpired.. Didn’t you see the jp’s signature. The only wrong thing the police did was leaving out the date which is very unfortunate.

  5. You all eh know misiay mad. man go back to Iraq with your weapons or go and fight for isis. You looser get a job and stop making people believe you are a saint. You had to go to the media with that petty story. owa wee

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