DPP Gives Reason Why The Policewoman Accused Of Trimming Rasta Teen Faces No Criminal Charge
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February 10, 2022
The locks-cutting case of Nzinga King began following an altercation she had with the police, which led to her arrest. On Wednesday, February 9, the decision was finally handed down by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Paula Llewellyn, who ruled in favour of the police corporal, declaring no criminal action should be taken against her.
For the past three weeks, the DPP has been awaiting reports from a forensic examination to complete her ruling and the Commissioner of the Independent Commission of Investigations (INDECOM) reportedly agrees with the decision. The case was first being investigated by the police before INDECOM took over the probe.
According to the allegations of the 19-year-old student from Lionel Town, Clarendon, the policewoman who arrested her cut her locks after she was taken into custody. Nzinga was detained for misconduct and failure to wear a mask after an incident that took place in May Pen taxi park around 4 pm June 29, 2021. King’s allegations against the police infuriated the Rastafarian community as she claimed the police cut her locks because they said it was a suicidal risk.
Last Thursday King went to the Clarendon Parish Court for the charges of breaching the Disaster Risk Management Act by not wearing a mask in public.
Additionally, reports from Defence attorney Isat Buchanan who is representing Nzinga King, stated that he heard of the ruling from the public because his office was not informed by the DPP and her team. He also told the star that he didn’t know what was happening because he hasn’t seen a document and INDECOM hadn’t contacted him.
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Along with recommending that no criminal charges be laid against the female police officer, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) also recommended that no criminal action be taken against the male police officer for assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The ODPP also stated that they do not recommend King be charged for creating public mischief, but noted that it was entirely up to the police to decide if they wish to investigate the matter and lay charges.
To this ruling, Buchanan claimed that he was not surprised by their decision and the police “can go ahead”. He went on to say that King will be making her claims in the Civil Court because she was traumatized by what happened to her. He also mentioned that ODPP’s decision was due to evidence but credibility was a matter of the jury.
The OPPD stated, “We are aware that the police authorities have primacy of decision-making regarding any investigation and the laying of charges. It is a matter entirely for them if they believe there is a sufficient basis to pursue an investigation against Ms. King. They may choose to do so or they may decline,”
Subsequently, both the ODPP and the INDECOM concurred that Zkinga King be given professional counselling.
During an interview with All Angles, DPP Llewellyn clarified that in the four statements that King produced to INDECOM there were eleven significant discrepancies and more discrepancies in statements of King’s mother. She added that Miss King pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and abusive language, but she pleaded innocent to failing to wearing a mask. The DPP said that because the fines of $3000 were not paid, King was subjected to 10 days imprisonment on each offense at the Four Paths Police Station.
Following this, Llewellyn explained that there were detained witnesses who observed King pulling her locks from her own head for two days. The detainees made the police officers aware of this, and when the police came they saw the locks on the ground inside of King’s cell. The DPP went on to say that King’s first statement was that the officer cut all the long locks which contradicted the two other statements which said the officer cut her hair that she was holding in a bunch and also that the officer cut her hair from the root.
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However, the statement received by the gleaner from Zkinga said that the officer cut her hair twice because it wasn’t properly cut the first time. Lastly, the DPP explained that one of King’s classmates said she had spoken to her about the plans she had to cut her locks one week before the incident happened. After the incident, the witness stated that Zkinga said she cut her hair and she’s unable to comb it.
Reports are that a trial date has been set for June 15.
Watch viral videos of Zkinga King being taken into custody below
Watch the full interview from the DPP below.
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