PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad--Fuad Abu Bakr, son of Muslim leader Yasin Abu Bakr, says he plans to take legal action against the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service after being wrongfully detained for seven hours on Wednesday.
Bakr, who is political leader of the New National Vision (NNV) party, was taken into custody on suspicion of being in possession of a stolen vehicle. He was released without charge, when it was discovered that he was in fact driving his own vehicle.
But he does not intend to let the matter end there.
“This is the first time I’ve ever been arrested. It’s a very embarrassing situation; sorry can’t suffice,” he said.
Bakr told the media that he and his wife were travelling in the car on the way home around 5:30pm when police pulled over the Nissan Navara pickup he was driving. He said he was asked to step out of the vehicle and both he and his wife were taken to the police station.
His wife was eventually allowed to leave to get the documents to prove Bakr’s legal ownership of the vehicle, but he was detained for seven hours and was moved to another police station.
He was eventually released but the vehicle remained in custody until yesterday.
“That type of policing and abuse must stop,” Bakr said.
Yesterday he made a formal complaint against police, saying his rights were violated.
“I do intend to take further legal action against the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service,” Bakr said. ~ Caribbean360 ~
