AN ex-policeman now attached to a mining establishment as a security personnel, is accusing a police corporal and two others of effecting an unlawful arrest on him as they were off-duty when they did so and they acted in a high-handed manner.

Tramine Ross, 26, of 757 South Amelia’s Ward, Linden, Upper Demerara, claims that he was sitting in a vehicle with a female companion when a police corporal, who is attached to the traffic department and dressed in civilian clothing, walked up to his vehicle on Saturday and pulled open the door to the driver’s side, removed the keys to the vehicle and then told him that he was under arrest.

“I asked for what, and they said when we get to the station I would know that. I was then escorted by rank in uniform to the station.” Ross told the Guyana Chronicle that he complied with the instructions of the policeman as he knew that to do otherwise could result in them victimizing him. Ross explained to this publication that when the person opened the door to the car and took out the keys, he initially thought that it was one of his friends playing a prank, but as he looked up he noticed the police corporal in his civilian clothing.

During the ordeal when he and the woman were instructed to get out of the vehicle, Ross said that the young lady became scared. The vehicle in which Ross and the young lady were in is said to be heavily tinted. It is reportedly owned by a policeman and it was while at the station that Ross was informed that the person who was driving the vehicle on one of the days over the weekend, drove away from the police and failed to subject himself to a breathalyzer test.

It is unclear why the police did not seek to find that individual or charge him with the more than five offences they levelled against Ross, namely: breach of insurance, tinted vehicle, breach of road services licences and two others. According to Ross, the vehicle at the time the police arrested him was stationary. He said that at no point did any of the policemen identified him as the individual who drove away from them on the night they initially encountered the vehicle and wanted to subject the driver to alcohol level test.

Meanwhile, it was while at the police station that Ross claimed that monies which he had in the vehicle were taken out without his knowledge. He contended that the money was left in the vehicle up to the period that the ranks invited him to join their vehicles to be taken to the station. “About 15 mins after, I noticed the vehicle being driven into the compound and at no time did I permit anyone or any police to enter the vehicle in my absence with my belongings in it. While I was there, I asked to go and secure my money which is $ 100,000. He told the Guyana Chronicle that he made an official report on the matter and statements were taken.