Senior Reporter
“My words were misconstrued.”
This was the defence mounted by Christopher Samaroo yesterday, as he responded to claims that statements he made during a radio programme on Sunday (Father’s Day) could be interpreted as seditious.
Speaking with Guardian Media as he emerged from the Central Police Station on St Vincent Street, Port-of-Spain, with his lawyer, 40 minutes after speaking with senior police officials, Samaroo said, “We gave a statement. I told them exactly what happened and that’s it.”
Samaroo continues to mourn his son, Joshua Samaroo, who was killed by police officers during a confrontation on January 20 in St Augustine.
Samaroo was asked to appear in a Father’s Day special on the Eye on Dependency programme on Sunday, when he allegedly made the comment. Part of the interview was also subsequently represented on a social media page.
Yesterday, Samaroo arrived at the police station around 5.35 pm accompanied by attorney Aaron Lewis.
Before going inside, Samaroo said this was done “to take front before front take me,” noting that the published article on the social media page had misrepresented what he actually said in entirety on the programme.
Lewis explained that Samaroo had become anxious by public commentary and advice generated from the published article that suggested his statements could be viewed as seditious, inciteful or provoking.
Speaking briefly before he headed in to meet with officers, Lewis said his client surrendered himself and opted to have an open discussion with the police.
Emerging just over half hour later, Lewis commended the police officers who dealt with them, adding, “They indicated that there was nothing, that they were not aware of anything against Mr Samaroo.”
He added, “Mr Samaroo made a report based on his fear as he very fearful of what could transpire, based on what was published.”
Responding in the positive to the question of whether he was fearful of being picked up by the police, Samaroo said, “For sure, because we are in a State of Emergency and that don’t go down good with anything you do now.”
While he was not asked to repeat the controversial statements, Samaroo stressed that his words were “misconstrued.”
He assured, “I went and cleared it up with them (police) and that’s it.”
Asked if his statements could be viewed as coming from a place of grief and hurt aimed at the police, he said, “It is very difficult to be in my shoes right now.”
He added, “I have to carry on my day as normal. I have to do my job. I have kids I have to see about. I have friends that I have to meet. I have people that I have to talk to. This is on my mind right through.”
Referring to his station visit, he said, “It is better I come and clear everything up because I don’t want to be sleeping and braps, they come and buss down my door.”
Cognisant of just how law enforcement was operating during the ongoing State of Emergency (SoE), he surmised, “You never know…they probably home by me all now so, I never know.”
In fact, even while they were at the station, Lewis said he received confirmation that police officers from the St Clair Police Station had carried out a search of his La Seiva Road, Maraval home. It was unclear up to last night, what officers had been searching for or if anything had been taken from Samaroo’s home.
After Samaroo concluded his business at the station, he reportedly went to the St Clair Police Station to find out why the police were at his home. However, Guardian Media was unable to get any details on this before press time.
Joshua Samaroo’s common-law wife, Kaia Sealy, who was injured during the January police-involved incident and was receiving medical and rehabilitative care abroad for paralysis, returned to the country on June 17. Sealy was arrested by officers as the plane landed at the Piarco International Airport and was slapped with eight charges arising out of the shooting. She was granted bail following a virtual court hearing last Wednesday and remains in the care of relatives.
