Observer Radio host hauled to court during on air hours

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Observer Radio’s Voice of the People co-host Nikki Phoenix was detained by police around midday today during the live airing of the programme.

She was held on a bench warrant in the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court over a dispute between herself and her landlord.

The matter allegedly involved the payment of utilities.

Phoenix, however, contended that she had already settled the matter with her landlord prior to today.

The host who once went by the name of Malika Muffett did not return to her hosting duties when VOP broke for the lunchtime news, leaving many listeners to wonder why.

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30 COMMENTS

  1. So two police officers go to this young lady’s workplace at 11:15 am on a bench warrant while she is on the air. While the police officers are escorting the young woman outside to their vehicle, pictures were taken which upset the officers. They even threatened to sue if the photos were not deleted. So they took her downtown!

    They put her in a holding cell…….like a common criminal…..on a bench warrant!

    What is more upsetting and baffling is the reason the bench warrant was issued. …How for the life of me, are you going to hold someone and lock them up for an issue which was already settled? $145.06 on an already paid water bill?

    The landlord, who is a police officer works at that very said courthouse. He’s obviously using the court for his agenda.

    • Of course to people will take a jab at the police caused they so full of s***. Can a officer issue a bench warrant or is that not the job a magistrate? Was Nikki Phoenix summons to the court? I would like to believe that she was or a bench warrant would not have been issued for her. If this was an regular John/Jane Doe would you be bashing the police no? She not better than the man on the streets. The court summons you to appear in court. It is a real pity who people love to use everything to bash the police but yet still as soon as anything happen to them the same police them ah cuss they run to for help. Chips!!!!!!!! Nikki Phoenix should have gone her as to court an not be on observer cussing the police and the government then a bench warrant would no have been issused to pick she up.

      PS @-Jahknowstar- when you are picked up on a bench warrant you are a prisoner of the court. She should be glad that she was only placed in a holding cell and not sent to prison for two weeks for violating the court order.

      • She probably thought that working at Observer Radio would make her above the law and ignore a court order

    • If she doesn’t go to the court and present the evidence of payment she cannot expect the court to know the payment was made. So tired of theee wanna be attorneys.
      The Judge passed down sentencing and she needs to satisfy the judgement by notifying the court.

    • Jahknowstar, you seem to be unaware of the process on which you chose to comment. This is a very simple matter.

      When you have a Court date, you are duty bound to report. The magistrate cannot know that the funds were paid, so she had a duty to appear before the magistrate and have the case closed. As simple as that.
      What she actually did amounted to Contempt of Court, and as such, could be fined (and or) confined for her actions (inaction). We all learn, sometimes the hard way, that proper procedures ought to be followed, especially with the Court.

  2. What is her REAL name? And is she even a REAL Guyanese like Martina Johnson? And why is she hosting a “political” show when she doesn’t know much about local politics? The show has really gone down the drain. I hope it returns to its glory days. “Missa Derrick” must be rolling over in his grave and kicking the shit out of his coffin.

    P.S. – Paul Quinn is boring AF

  3. What a set of buffoons.
    The time those police officers waste on that nonsense they need to put down all their tools, take off their uniforms and have the government bring in some new officers.
    The Forrce is in a sad state.
    I can’t wait for all to be revealed… And it has started.
    I don’t even care who it is that the light will be shown on… Could be my soon to be ex or anyone else.
    I can’t wait for the information to be revealed on the young officer’s mysterious death somewhere at Hawksbill several tears ago because he did not give in to the bullying saga, the murdered men in the house at cedar Valley, the disappearance of the girl coming from her parents house in Potters, the death of the little child found in deviks Bridge waters.
    When the bong sounds may all men.. Who call themselves men rise to the occasion and show the world they will only enter a door from the front when entering a building.

    • Smh. Is she above anyone else. When you are summons to the court and you dont show up that is what happens. Sh lucky the magistrate did not send her ass to jail.

    • What is it you guys cannot or fail to understand. This was not a police decision. Thus was an order by the court. Had to be executed at once by the police officers at the court

  4. She likes to run her mouth about accountability, twist facts, and she can’t mek up or twist the fact that she is a walking liability! Jah no sleep tarrlllll!

  5. This sounds like a Trump move designed to deflect attention away from the big picture — the passport scandal involving senior police officers.
    With escalating crime in Antigua and Barbuda, is this how our law enforcement chooses to spend their time and our resources in an attempt to create BREAKING NEWS? If indeed this is a civil dispute of $150 that was escalated by a police officer/landlord, this is reprehensible. Couldn’t this arrest wait until the end of the show? Let’s say at 2:05?
    Where was this diligence when Delano Forbes, an alleged serial murderer was on the run for 4 weeks? Or in investigating the money that was “stolen” from Michael Freeland’s car? The police need to direct their attention to the many unsolved crimes in our country and stop harassing people. You call the police station to report suspicious activity and they tell you flatly, that they have no vehicles to dispatch. The public trust for the police will never improve with FOOLISH moves like this.

  6. This could of been done in a different manner… however, we are humans and these things happens in the real world… the negative will make her stronger and wiser… this is a minor situation and it could of been anyone of us… Girl hold your head up high and walk step and smile..

  7. @ Onebigjoke …..The fact of the matter is that the young lady was never told to come to court just pay that measly $145.06 by a certain time in which it was. So what’s the excuse now?

    It seems as if asking questions is a crime now. Being muffled is obviously law. 95% of you will never ask questions. Continue to put blinders over your eyes.

    • So let me get this right the court sent a summons for her to appear before the magistrate she ignors the summons doe not show up for court. The magistrate doing her duty issued a bench warrent for her to be arrested and that is wrong??? So let m get this right is it OK because someone is a popular radio show host the must tell the court they cant be bother for a small petty lawsuit??? Funny how everyone is in poor Nikki Pheonix corner and cursing the police and government but cant say jack about the magistrate who is the only person that can issuse a bench warrent…..

  8. Dem have dem agenda. 2 police going down, plenty more to go. Dem so politically motivated!!!

  9. I pray and hope none of you defenders of this woman never get summons to court may it be criminal or civil. I do hope if any of you gets summons an don’t show an then a bench warrent is issued for your arrest I wonder if you would be singing the same tone. She knew she had a court date but chose to ignore it thonking caused she settle the matter she did not have to show up which is a clear violation of the court. Yet still you blind folks cant see that you can only see it as political motivated. So many other persons have been pulled from their job when a bench warrent has been issued for their arrest. Nobody is above the law. For m personally the magistrate should have sent her ass to jail for two weeks.

  10. Based on what is in the article, she settled with the landlord. He is duty bound to notify the court that the issue was settled. What is the landlord’s duty here.

  11. Still waiting to hear about the business man that had sex with the minor. Has he been locked up yet? What a place this Antigua.

  12. These are ways members of the police force feel they can silent people they deliberately did it to embarrass her because it could be deal with much better.and what make interested she’s from Guyana. look out non national they use us to vote now they getting rid of us pm said we must go home he couldn’t said it before election.set of hyprocrits

  13. Smh look how people get denfensive cause one woman get pick up on a BENCH WARRENT. Sh is not the first media personality to be pulled off the air in that manner and she won’t be the last. Back off the police cause they are just doing their lawful duty.

  14. In my view this is clearly a communication break down…. I think the court should establish clearly to the plaintiff and the defendant how the monies should paid and where it should be paid……Now if the payment should done through the courts then obviously the magistrate should be informed by the clerks responsible for such collections… If on the otherhand the payments could be made direct to the landlord, why then the landlord did not inform the court that he recieved what was owed to him…. Of course Nikki for her own interest should notify the courts that she settled the matter. All parties dropped the ball…. Sad its one of those days that Nikki have count her lost.

  15. People are jumping to conclusion without the facts. Nikki should know better. She did not show up for Her court hearing …Therefore She was arrested. What is wrong with that. Please stop blaming the Police.

  16. Y’all be tearing down the police officer all day everyday! If we do our work yall cuss if we do nothing y’all still cuss!! I don’t care what your nationally is if you break the law I will do my job without fear or favour ill will or malice! If u are summoned to court and you don’t show up a warrant is issued for your arrest, plain and simple

  17. This serve as a warning as to how the court system is it could work for you or it can work against you so be careful how you use the system. Carmma!

Comments are closed.