Drug offender accuses RVIPF of police brutality
A man has accused the Royal Virgin Island Police Force (RVIPF) of mistreatment while in custody when he appeared in the Magistrate Court on October 25.
The man, identified as Kitt Hodge, said he received serious abuse when he was locked up for illegal possession of cocaine.
“I obtained a lot of brutalisation from the police. There is a steel holding up my right hand and I’m blind in the right eye,” Hodge stated.
“They tried to kill me and leave me on the side. I don’t know why they are doing that to me. I am not a bad person,” he told Senior Magistrate Tamia Richards.
Hodge said he was in custody for seven to eight days before he was brought in front of a court to answer for his charges back in March when he was first arrested.
During that time, officers would enter his cell and abuse him, accused man claimed.
“On one nightshift, the police came in my cell and said they were moving me to another cell. As soon as he (the police officer) got the handcuff on my hands, four more officers came and beat me,” he mentioned.
Magistrate Richards also commented on Hodge’s appearance saying he looked significantly better than when he first appeared in court. He had alleged the police had beaten him until his eyes were swollen shut and he had bruises all over his body.
It his not known whether his claims will be probed.
In the meantime, Hodge pleaded guilty to illegal possession of cocaine which was found in his possession on March 24. He was found with 16.8 grams of drug at the Dr D. Orlando Smith Hospital.
He told the court that was the dumbest decision he had ever made in his life up to that point. He also said he wanted the chance to ‘be somebody’ again.
Hodge was sentenced to six months in prison for the offence. In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Richards said justice would be served if she gave Hodge a time-served sentence.
The offender had been on remand for seven months at Her Majesty’s Prison so Magistrate Richards said he would be released once all paperwork was sorted.
She also made a destruction order for the drugs.
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That doesn’t sound like police behavior in the VI.but hope there will be an investigation
The steel holdjng up his hand and loss of sight in one eye..are these resulting from the brrutality?
but they had no cause beating him
This accusation should be taken seriously. If this guy is being truthful here and sustained serious injuries because of misconduct by prison officers that is something that cannot be overlooked.
Regardless of the crime, no prisoner shall be mistreated. Being sat upon by multiple officers while handcuffed is clearly abusive.
An internal investigation is warranted and if this accusation is substantiated those officers involved needs to be held to account inclusive of termination.
RVIPF officers are not HM Prison Officers. His accusation is that the Police Officers beat him while in custody at the Police Station
Thanks for pointing that difference out. Its not clear to me from the article, the alleged abuse took place at the police station or at the prison. I assumed the later.
Nevertheless, regardless of where the abuse allegedly occurred, I think we can agree that no prisoner should be abused in any way by their jailors while in custody.
I agree. They think this is down island?. They can get away with this behaviour in St. Vincent and Jamaica but not here. And they know that. They only try a thing on poor Kitt because they know he ain’t got no representation.
What an ignorant statement..I can tell that you are not educated..it has nothing to do with any island..police brutality happens all over..check your facts
You can’t read? The article stated that he was beaten while in Police custody not the prison.
yeah rite , he would make a good premier ??
There are cámaras inside outside and in the cells at the station the always working.
If none of you know kit Hodge, I do, he is a c** man, a sympathy looker, don’t think the magistrate fell for it, she knows who he is, its only because he stayed so long on remand, he is a pathetic l**r.
This is very easy to solve. He must have a mug shot before leaving the station. Let’s see it please.
lol, you think them taking mugshot down here?? think again. you lucky if them even remember to take the offender fingerprints.
I believe him!!! That is definitely RVIPF behavior including feeling up their female colleagues! Sickening
You all can’t see a lie from the pit of hell they beat him so bad and didn’t go to the hospital for his eye
I believe him, they did the same to me and I’m a female. They do stuff like this. (A young dude even was beaten with a Machete) But When the officers found out who I really was and who I was related to they became scared…. Miss female officer from bell vue I have not forgotten you face and ur crew.
when you do not have anyone in your family experience it please do not say because the try to do it to my son but i was there everyday until his court time came so please do not judge a book by it cover until u get in that position.
He deserved it.
Did I just read this man served 7 months while waiting for trial on possession of 16 grams of coke yet these big busts all were granted bail? He got trial in 7 months yet minor traffic offenders take two years to get trials? What is this place?
Every they catch a crackhead , it’s always the same story , ( I was beaten , i was tased )and then everybody jumps on the police / them island people come and want to take over land and ill treating our innocent youths , and nothing about the white lady ( COCAINE
He wuttless and ultra violent. Nearly broke everybody on a victim in PR.
BVI has the most illiterate thinking folks i’ve ever been around, so small minded like the size of the island..so backward ,need a better education system and take the idle men form the corners to clean up the nasty island