The Tribune

SOCIAL Media personality Cay Mills has sued government officials for allegedly violating his constitutional rights.

He was charged with criminal libel last year after publishing a video about Farron Newbold Sr, the chief councillor in Abaco, on WhatsApp on August 3 to cause shame.

In a statement of claim he filed with the Supreme Court last month, he recounted what happened when he was arrested in December for allegedly breaching his bail conditions.

He said an officer, Kristan Bowles, arrested him in the Magistrate Court’s office in Abaco when he went to check on his trial date.

He said the officer ordered him to strip naked and told him “that if he did not strip naked, he (Bowles) would personally take off all of Mr Mills’ clothes”.

Mr Mills said he was concerned that people passing the corridor to enter the country would see him naked, but he complied with the order because two other officers were there with guns.

“At no time did the claimant receive natural justice or the protection of the law as stipulated in Article 20 of the constitution,” his statement of claim read. “At no time was Mr Cay Mills questioned or shown any evidence before the said purported arrest and detention.”

He said he was placed in a jail cell in the Magistrate Court’s office on December 14, 2023, and was not allowed to use the bathroom and was not given water or food.

He said his constitutional rights –– protection from inhuman treatment, arbitrary arrest or detention, provisions to secure protection of law, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly and association and freedom of movement –– were violated.

Mr Mills said he was remanded to prison on December 15 and remained there until January 8, 2024. He said his human rights were violated in prison, adding that he was awakened in the early hours of the morning numerous times and had to strip naked amongst other inmates.

He is seeking an undisclosed amount of damages.