SIX Linden mothers cried injustice last Friday, claiming Police brutality against their sons who they say have been incarcerated wrongfully and are currently on remand for crimes they did not commit.

Karen Crawford, Deborah Graham, Eva Stephens, Kayla McBean, Alison Stephens and Deborah McAlmont claimed to represent several other mothers who are deeply affected by their sons being incarcerated. They spoke with the media during a meeting they held.

In addition to Police brutality, the women are complaining that illegal searches were carried out at their homes and charges being laid without any proper evidence or efforts to investigate the matters. Three of the mothers’ sons are all on remand for charges of robbery under arms while two were charged with cultivating marijuana. The mothers also made reports of the police not locating the case jackets upon their arrival at the court, further prolonging their agony.

The mothers also complained about what they called uncouth treatment by the Police of E’ Division upon making inquiries of their sons’ cases.

These mothers also complained that the incarceration of their sons is costing them financially since some of the boys were bread winners for the homes.

In addition to that blow, Deborah McAlmont claimed that she was fired by Divisional Commander Calvin Brutus from her post as Lance Corporal, because of her three sons having had brushes with the law. She was also charged with assaulting a police officer as she claimed she was defending her son who would have received a good beating from the same police.

Karen Crawford, a food vendor, claimed that her son was at the time working on a food farm for less than a month when he was picked up for cultivating marijuana, which she claimed was taken from another farm destroyed since 2014. Crawford told the media that her son was beaten by the Police, and to make matters worse, her younger son was also wrongfully picked up and is currently on remand for robbery under arms charges.

Eva Stephens cried injustice as her two sons Devon Scott and Jevon Scott were picked up for the same robbery that occurred while she claimed they were working in the interior. It was upon their call home that they were notified that a wanted bulletin was posted for their arrest. After some time behind bars, Jevon had the case dismissed against him while Devon remains on remand for the same crime; one she claims was not investigated and no evidence was placed against them.

The women also complained about the hefty bail that they are forced to pay for a charge that their sons did not commit. Alison Stephens said her son was placed on $400, 000 bail for the cultivation of marijuana and she cannot afford that sum since she also had to hire a lawyer to defend him. “I don’t even have $400,000”, she said.

Some of these women were recently involved in a picketing action where they called for the removal of Commander Brutus and Inspector Singh from the Division. The protest was led by Calwyn Croal who also cried police brutality and victimization against him for being in possession of ammunition and firearm which he doesn’t have.

A few weeks after, he shot his estranged wife and cousin and is currently on the run. In an invited comment Commander Brutus said that the allegations are being investigated by the Office of the President and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). In the defense of himself and other officers, he said that the men were charged based on advice or the amount of evidence brought against them.