The State yesterday admitted it had no defense to a lawsuit brought by a Trinidad woman, who was stripped and searched in full view of motorists during a roadblock exercise more than nine years ago. Justice Sebastian Ventour will rule in a subsequent hearing on the quantum of damages to be awarded to Clothilda Madoo. As he entered a default judgment in favour of the claimant yesterday, Ventour was critical of the conduct of the police, describing the incident as “very disturbing.” Justice Ventour, who heard the facts of the case for the first time yesterday, listened in disbelief.
He asked: “All her clothes except her brassiere? At 10.30 in the morning? All her clothes, Mr (Neil) Byam? And the State is not defending?” The victim, 51, a mother of nine, of 156 Valencia Old Road, Valencia, was arrested on January 4, 2001, and taken to a roadblock at the junction of Valencia Old Road and Toco Main Road, where she was ordered to strip down to her bra. Lawyers representing the State conceded they could not defend the lawsuit for unlawful arrest and assault filed by attorneys for Madoo — Ravi Heffes-Doon and Kern Saney. The State had initially claimed that the alleged incident never took place. However, State counsel Neil Byam informed the judge that police officers who gave statements in the matter had not returned to sign them, effectively rendering the statements inadmissible for the defense.
