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Man Beaten By Police Gets Out Of Hospital/Into Custody
posted (February 1, 2012)
Last night we told you about a man who ended up in the emergency room at the KHMH after he claimed that he was beaten up badly by police officers.

Well, this morning he got released from the hospital and straight into police custody - bruised face and all. We caught him exiting the hospital in hand cuffs where he showed us his injuries and told us he is an innocent man.

Justo Lopez - Alleges Police Brutality
"The men took advantage of me for simple reasons. It's not like I was running from them or escaping from them. They had my hands handcuffed behind my back. Look at my hands and how they look. My hands are swollen from only that. These men kicked me repeatedly in my stomach, kicked me up just to make me talk for something I didn't do. And I still haven't given them anything, because I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything, you understand. They didn't have to take advantage of me like this. Where I was, I was quite alright. I didn't have to come back here. But just because people are saying things, I came back in and what happened? Even my vehicle they have held. First of all, the policemen told me that it was 3 young men on bicycle. He saw the young men on bicycle; now my vehicle got involve in this thing. How did my vehicle get involved in this? They didn't even put a warrant out for me. If you want somebody like that, put it on the media, the newspaper, the internet. That's why you have the internet when you have most wanted. None of those things have my picture. Nobody can go back to Amandala or any of the media and say that Justo was wanted for this. You all just have pictures in your offices. You all didn't make it clear to the media when they said that this one and that one got charged, and we are looking for this young man. So this is foolishness what they did to me. They took advantage of me."

Monica Bodden "Which incident are they accusing you of?"

Justo Lopez
"Shooting some police in March at Belama at the police sub-station. That's what they are accusing me of, but like what I said, if that happened from then, they had all this time to put my picture on the media, and they didn't even do that, and that's why I tell you that I don't know because you watch the news everyday and you go to the internet, but you don't see anything about yourself. It was when the person told me that they wanted me, because somebody went up, and we met up. And he told me that they are looking for me, and so I decided to come in."

Giovanni Brackett - Plus TV
"You have the cuffs on. Are they still detaining you?"

Justo Lopez
"Yes, they are still detaining me. Right now, I'm going to prison."

Giovanni Brackett - Plus TV
"So are they going to charge you with anything?"

Justo Lopez
"So far, I don't know if they will charge me, or for what, because they are also talking about some ID parade when I get to the station too. But my lawyer said that he has to be present for anything that they have to do after this."

Reporter
"Do you feel that the police department will be held accountable?"

Justo Lopez
"I have no idea, because these people are really advantageous. I don't know what to say about that."

Reporter
"How do you feel about being around police officers now?"

Justo Lopez "When they are in their uniforms, I don't feel anyway. It's the ones who are in plain clothes. As I saw them coming, when I was downstairs, last night, I got nervous. I'm afraid that they'll beat me. See, the police officer is coming to take me now."

Lopez was wanted by police for questioning in connection with the shooting of 23-year old police officer Nigel White which happened on the 26 of March 2011 at the Police Sub-Station in Belama. Tonight we understand that he will be charged with attempted murder and grievous harm.

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