Video: Man cow-ties woman over stolen peppers Kevon Felmine
Published: Wednesday, March 11, 2015
http://www4.guardian.co.tt/news/2015-03-11/video-man-cow-ties-woman-over-stolen-peppers
The unidentified woman who was tied for allegedly stealing peppers in Gasparillo. Photo courtesy Charman Lal
A video of a man herding a Gasparillo woman through a farming community with a rope tied around her body has sparked outrage among social media users.
The video was posted to Facebook by Moruga contractor Charman Lal hours after the incident on Saturday and was viewed 39,908 times and shared 1,335 times by 3.20 pm yesterday.
It showed a man holding a rope which was tied around the woman’s arms and waist while he walked behind her swinging the excess rope.
He was challenged by Lal as he led the woman down a dirt roadway, but justified his actions by saying that “they thief my peppers.” The woman, clearly afraid, said it was her husband who stole the peppers.
In an interview yesterday, Lal said he was driving through the area to get to Bonne Aventure to drop off someone when he noticed the woman being “walked like an animal.” He said the passenger told him “don’t study them,” so he took a few pictures and drove off. He said he called the E-999 hotline twice and did not get through, so he contacted the Moruga police to get a number for the Gasparillo police. He said he made a report, but was not sure if the police ever came. After dropping off the passenger, he said, he returned and videotaped the man.
“I did not like what I saw. Nobody would like that. If it were me and my workmen we would have done something,” Lal said.
“The Gasparillo station was not too far from where it happened. I remained there for more than 20 minutes and I did not see any police come. I can't say if they came at all.
“When I first questioned this man, he said the woman stole his hot peppers, but she said she did not steal anything, it was her husband who stole it. She did not look like she was in her correct head. When I asked why he did not call the police, he said he had no transport, but he was coming from the main road when I first saw them and he was taking her further into the lonely road.
“That was kidnapping, abuse and the man admitted to me that it is the woman’s husband who stole his peppers. That was torture the way he had this woman walking through the hot sun like he kidnapped her. I hope the police holds and deals with him because at the end of the day this woman suffered.”
Mahabir-Wyatt: Why no help?Women’s rights activist, former independent senator Diana Mahabir-Wyatt, yesterday questioned why no one helped the woman, who she said was clearly terrified. Mahabir-Wyatt said she hoped that the after the incident the woman was not found dead.
“I saw the video and I think it is a bit ridiculous to have the woman roped like a cow being led along the road. And according to the caption, he said he was doing it as a punishment for her husband stealing peppers if I am not mistaken.
“One wonders why can’t he act like a man and deal with her husband rather than pick on a skinny, frail woman.
“If you look at her face, she is grimacing, she is not smiling. She has a line between her eyebrows and it is the reaction of somebody who is frightened.
“I mean it is a big, strong, fat, gross-looking man who is holding a woman who is being led like an animal and I think that is disgusting. I think it is also disgusting that whoever took the video did not try to do anything to help her,” Mahabir-Wyatt said.
In his defence, Lal said he tried to help by calling the police but could not physically try to help the woman because of the man’s size. He said as a single parent, he had to make a wise decision as this man could have harmed him and left his children fatherless.
However, Mahabir-Wyatt said, “If everyone in this country is afraid to help, I don’t know what I’m supposed to say. None of them look exactly mentally stable in the video. If the police won't help and the people on the road passing by won't help, I am not quite sure what everybody expects this poor, frail woman to do.”
Video:
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10152743427648067
