Grenada’s world rated athlete, Anderson Peters, while recalling the brawl on the pleasure boat two weeks ago, said that he was fearful as his “life could have been snuffed out in the twinkling of an eye”.
A video which was circulated online showed crew members and the captain of the boat named the Harbour Master, beating the athlete and his brother. They pleaded guilty to charges of causing harm and grievous harm in court last week.
Anderson, who earlier this month won Gold at the World Championship in the United States and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom, said also that he has not been able to watch the video of him being beaten up in the August 10 brawl, and has since suffered injuries that could hamper his professional season.
“I have not been able to train since the incident due to the injuries I suffered. I have had to abandon the remainder of the 2022 season and it is still up in the air as to whether the injuries I suffered to my ankle and ribs would adversely affect my career in the long run,” Peters said in an affidavit in support of a civil suit brought against the Trinidadian crew of the Barbados-owned vessel.
The lawyer representing Peters, has executed a warrant of arrest of the Harbour Master, and according to official court documents sent to the Chief Immigration Officer, the Grenada Ports Authority, and Comptroller of Customs, that the Harbour Master vessel should not be cleared for sailing until they individually receive instructions from the Acting Registrar of the Supreme Court.
Chief Magistrate, Teddy St Louis, fined each of the four crew members EC$3,500 (One EC dollar=US$0.37 cents) for causing grievous harm to the brothers to be paid forthwith or in default jailed for one year.
On the charge of causing harm with violence they were each fined EC$2,000 also to be paid forthwith or in default, spend six months in jail.
The chief magistrate before sentencing the men described the action of the crew as “excessive use of the force” on the brothers that cannot be justified although a request was made for them to leave the vessel.
On Monday, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Christopher Nelson, filed for a discontinuation of the proceedings in a private criminal matter being filed against the brothers after former attorney general, Cajeton Hood, alleged that the brothers lied to the police regarding the incident, which took place at the St George’s Port as the Harbour Master crew was wrapping up a party cruise and preparing to embark on another.
Hood had claimed that his clients were violated by the brothers leading to the brawl.
In his affidavit, Peters said he had decided to go on the boat cruise since it was the first time he was in Grenada for Carnival or the immediate aftermath of Carnival since 2015 and he regarded the event as “a good way to relax.”
In his three-page affidavit, the athlete said he is aware that “many people” who were not present at the time of the incident “are confused as to what happened.
“In the face of this confusion, based on my own inclination and on advice, I remained silent, naively believing that the truth being truth would naturally win out. However, in the face of my silence, a concerted campaign of lies has been launched to plant a false narrative that I was the culprit; that I started or caused the incident; and to hurt my image in the process,” Peters said.
“I have chosen to give this statement by way of affidavit to underscore the fact that I am speaking the truth. I have been advised by my attorneys as to the consequences of stating any falsehood on oath and I therefore make this statement with full cognizance of the provisions of the Oaths Act, Cap. 217 of the 201} Edition of the Continuous Revised Laws of Grenada,” Peters added.
No date has yet been set for the hearing of the civil suit.
