In a recent ruling, Justice Frank Seepersad dismissed a false imprisonment lawsuit filed by two men who claimed they were wrongfully detained by police during a 2021 robbery investigation in Maloney, Trinidad. Kenya Pitman of San Juan and Michael Joseph of Barataria argued that their four-to-five-hour detention was unjustified. However, the court found the police’s actions reasonable given the circumstances of the investigation. Justice Seepersad emphasized that the officers acted with commendable speed and diligence based on the information available at the time. While acknowledging the discomfort endured by the claimants, the judge highlighted the broader societal context of crime and the public’s expectations of law enforcement. The court ruled that the officers had “reasonable and probable cause” to detain the men and deemed the lawsuit “devoid of merit.” However, neither party was ordered to pay the other’s legal costs. The case was represented by Tricia Ramlogan for the State and Christophe Rodriguez and Randy Tikah for the claimants.
Judge rules detention of 2 men in Maloney robbery probe was lawful
