BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (Friday 27th August 2021)- Well-known social media video blogger Romnage Benjamin better known as ‘Shaq’ and ‘Modelcop’, who claims that he was arrested for videotaping, captured his own arrest during his live Facebook coverage of a ‘KITTITIAN LIVES MATTER peaceful walk’ event held on Friday 20th August 2021 on Church Street in Basseterre while using his phone.
Following an interaction with a female senior officer who approached him directly, shortly after at about 35 minutes into the taping, Benjamin, who is a former member of the St. Christopher and Nevis Police, accused the officer of “looking a reason to arrest me.”
“I can’t walk behind of the police! Imagine that! All over the world, you see persons are reporting information; bringing information to the people and they are recording also but here in St.Kitts, none of that!…She is looking a reason to arrest me …I cannot walk behind the police, I cannot video [tape]. All around the world persons are videoing, sharing the information but no not here in St.Kitts. St. Kitts is unique!,” he expressed
Seconds before the cut of his live recording- which spans 39 minutes and 51 seconds- while he was in a different area, Benjamin tells viewers “And I’m being escorted by the police, yeah” after police officers approach him.
Benjamin’s live recording has a total of 11,000 views and over 300 shares.
In a video recorded social media post on Wednesday 25th August, he informed that his two phones are in police custody while thanking persons for their love and support.
A police statement issued on Wednesday 25th August named Benjamin of Shadwell among three persons who “were charged, and subsequently received bail as a result of an illegal gathering that occurred on August 20, 2021.”
The individuals, including the two others- Annivea Hutchinson of St. Paul’s and Pretha Thom of Dorset Village, were bailed at the sum of $15,000.
Benjamin has received a total of ten (10) charges- for the offences of Obstruction; Taking Part in a Public Procession Without the Written Permission of the Chief of Police; Taking Part in a Public March in the Daylight Without a Permit; Taking Part in a Prohibited Procession; Behaving in a Manner with Intent to Provoke a Breach of the Peace and Attending a Mass Gathering to wit a Public Procession.
Police say he was also issued with five (5) additional charges for similar offences committed on August 02, 2021. On August 23, Benjamin received bail in the sum of $15,000 with two (2) sureties. His bail conditions are that he is to report to the Basseterre Police Station every Monday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and that any breach of the peace will result in the revocation of bail. He is scheduled to appear before the Basseterre Magistrate Court on October 04, 2021.
Notably, for that 2nd August (Emancipation Day holiday) event, Benjamin also carried live coverage at Independence Square.
On August 22, Hutchinson was charged for the offences of Taking Part in a Public Procession Without the Written Permission of the Chief of Police; Taking Part in a Public March in the Daylight Without a Permit; Taking Part in a Prohibited Procession; Behaving in a Manner with Intent to Provoke a Breach of the Peace and Attending a Mass Gathering to wit a Public Procession. On August 23, she received bailed in the sum of $15,000.00 with two (2) sureties. Her bail conditions are that she is to report to the Dieppe Bay Police Station every Monday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and that any breach of the peace will result in the revocation of bail. She is scheduled to appear before the Basseterre Magistrate Court on October 04, 2021.
On August 21, Thom was charged for the offences of Battery of Police; Battery; Resisting Arrest; Obstruction; Malicious Damage and Indecent Language. On August 23, Thom received bail in the sum of $15,000 with two (2) sureties. Her bail conditions are that she is to report to the Basseterre Police Station every Monday between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and that any breach of the peace will result in the revocation of bail. She is scheduled to appear before the Basseterre Magistrate Court on October 04, 2021.