Machel Montano in Brawl at Zen Over Spilled Drink

www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog

TrinidadandTobagoNews.com
April 26, 2007

In the aftermath of the Akon and Danah scandal at Club Zen, new reports have surfaced of another controversy/incident at the club in which Soca giants Machel Montano, Kernel Roberts and Benjai have been questioned by police. According to reports, twenty-five year old Russell Pollonais of Princess Town was the victim of a physical attack involving Machel Montano and members of his entourage around 2:30 this morning. According to a female relative of Pollonais, he and a group of friends, some visiting from England, went to the Zen Night Club on Wednesday night to celebrate an upcoming wedding when the incident occured.

Pollonais, now warded at the Port of Spain General Hospital, was allegedly hit in the head several times after he went to assist his friends outside the club. The sequence of the reports so far are contradictory.

One source indicates that a group of British nationals numbering about fourteen were at club Zen when one of them accidentally spilled a drink on a female who was dancing with Montano. Machel Montano reportedly slapped the person in the face. The brawl later moved outside the Zen building when Pollonais, in an attempt to help his friend, was slammed against a vehicle several times, thrown to the ground and beaten. Police have taken a statement from Mr. Pollonais from his hospital bed, but the details of the report are yet to be released.

The CNC3 report, unlike what TV6 presented, initially stated that the drink was spilled, not on the girl but on Machel Montano. This report also stated that Pollonais was allegedly beaten by Montano and others. It is said that the Soca artistes involved are to be questioned and statements taken as it may involve charges being laid by the seriously injured Pollonais.

A cousin of Russell Pollonais added another dimension to the story in a CNC3 interview later on in the programme. She had this to say:

“Some drinks fell on the young lady that Machel was dancing with. Machel was leaning against the bar… the lady, her back was to him and they were dancing. I don’t know what she told Machel, but then Machel slapped my cousin and punched my cousin in his jaw…all his people started coming to us and we started going to them. Nothing actually broke out there other than that in the club.”

The group of fourteen, nine females and five males, were then escorted by club bouncers to the exit foyer where owner Johnny Soong tried to get details on the incident, according to the female relative. She said that they were accosted again as they were making their way to the maxi taxi they hired.

She then said, “Some of the girls from England, went back to apologize to Machel just to make the peace and then Rus [Russell] goes back [by Machel] to call them because we just wanted to put an end to the whole thing and as he goes to call him, [he started] shouting [and] calling the girls to come and then they all charge on him; Zen bouncers, Machel bouncers, Machel, Benjai, Kernel Roberts, all of them. Next thing you know, he’s on the ground…bleeding from the head.”

The victim’s cousin then said those responsible quickly drove off away from the scene and Pollonais had to be taken to hospital by ambulance where he remains warded for observation.

Elizabeth Montano, the mother of Soca star Machel Montano, did not give an official take on the issue from the Montano camp. Her only comment so far on the issue was that she was not present at the affair and may possess bias because she is Machel Montano’s mother, hence her silence.

Johnny Soong, owner of the controversial club Zen was also questioned today and spent just under an hour at the Belmont Police Station this afternoon. Soong told reporters, “We are cooperating with all police investigations that they have for whatever they are investigating. We are cooperating fully and we stand to cooperate for anything that they need to find out.” He gave no more details about the incident saying, “That is a subject of police investigations so I really cannot comment on that at this point.”

Details of the full report remain sketchy but doctors say Pollonais remains in serious condition.

UPDATE: April, 27, 2007

Injured Brandis Brown Speaks About Brawl at Zen

Brandis Brown, another injured party in the brawl in club Zen around 2:30 a.m. yesterday morning involving Machel Montano and his entourage, gave his account of what transpired in the club.

Speaking on CN3 news, Brandis said an eighteen year old was slapped after he accidentally spilled a drink on a female friend of the Soca artiste. He explained,

“I saw Machel, so I asked him, ‘Why you slap the young boy for?’ If you see the young boy…he is eighteen years and he is no big fella. And with that Machel asked me, ‘You were f***king there?’ and started approaching me; he and everybody who was with him. Next thing he hit me with, I think, a glass he had in his hand. He hit me with it and everybody else jumped in and started beating me.”

Brandis said he tried to run, and was followed by a group of about fourteen men. He is still nursing a red eye from being hit with the glass and has other bruises. He said his friend, Russell Pollonais, was beaten when he tried to save him. Russell remains hospitalized.

Attorney Ramlagon who was retained as council for the injured parties, said he intends to get justice for the young men. Mr. Ramlogan said,

“I would be filing a civil claim against all those who brutalized Brandis and his friend for damages, for assault and battery, for the injuries they inflicted upon these two young fellas in circumstances where it was totally avoidable, totally unnecessary and they take good advantage of them.”

On TV6 news, Machel Montano said that he would issue a statement following his busy schedule this weekend. He said any recording of the incident would show that he did not hit anyone. Machel is performing at the Plymouth Jazz Festival and he is also carded to perform at the closing ceremony of World Cup Cricket in Barbados.

Investigations into the incident are continuing.

NEWS UPDATE: April, 28, 2007

‘Let DPP do his job’
Brandis Brown, one of the people involved in the alleged fracas at Zen nightclub, said yesterday he has been approached by interested parties to settle the affair and prevent it from reaching court.

Beaten patron still warded at PoS hospital
RUSSEL POLLONAIS remained in satisfactory condition at the Port of Spain General Hospital yesterday.

Beaten men to take legal action
ATTORNEY Anand Ramlogan has been retained by two young men who claim they were beaten by a group of soca artistes during a brawl over a spilled drink at Zen nightclub on Thursday morning…

NEWS UPDATE: April, 29, 2007

Machel ‘defended’ himself
SOCA STAR Machel Montano yesterday emphatically denied allegations made against him of violent actions towards individuals at the Zen nightclub in Port of Spain.

Machel tells his side
In a statement, issued by advertising agency Valdez and Torry International, Montano also denied allegations of violent actions towards anyone at the Zen nightclub on Keate Street, Port-of-Spain, in the early morning hours of April 26…

NEWS UPDATE: May 24, 2007

Artistes face assault charges
Assault charges are expected to be laid against four popular entertainers today. They are also expected to be charged with using obscene language and assault occasioning bodily harm. The charges stemmed from a fracas outside a Port-of-Spain nightclub.

Cops take action in nightclub fracas
Charges are expected to be laid against four people in the April 26 Zen nightclub fracas which involved soca superstar Machel Montano, his entourage and a group of patrons.

Trinidad and Tobago News Blog’s URL for this article:
www.trinidadandtobagonews.com/blog/?p=227

32 thoughts on “Machel Montano in Brawl at Zen Over Spilled Drink”

  1. Cops to quiz Machel over fight at club
    Soca superstar Machel Montano is among four popular entertainment figures to be questioned by Belmont police following an incident outside Club Zen yesterday morning which left a patron with injuries.

    Machel linked to nightclub brawl
    MACHEL MONTANO is among three top soca artistes who have been linked to an early morning brawl, in which a Princes Town man was reportedly beaten unconscious, outside of Zen nightclub on Keate Street, Port-of-Spain, yesterday…

    Montano: I’m not involved
    SOCA artiste Machel Montano is denying claims that he fired any punches in a brawl which landed a 24-year-old Princes Town man in hospital nursing head injuries…

    Victim unwilling to call names
    RUSSELL Pollonais, the 24-year-old Princes Town man who was reportedly beaten unconscious during a brawl outside Zen nightclub, is refusing to name his attackers…

    Superstar’s mom: My son is traumatised

    Mrs Montano told the Express that Machel was very traumatised over the incident and was disappointed over the accusations some had made about her son without hearing his side of the story.

    Mrs Montano added that her son said that he was not treated in this manner whenever he is abroad and was therefore considering migrating.

    “Machel is very traumatised and I was not aware until tonight just how traumatised he is over the incident. Machel is seriously considering migrating because of how he has been treated here over the years after doing so much to promote his country,” she said.

  2. I’m trying to understand how we treat Machel in Trinidad….Stuepssss, everybody love Machel. Anything Machel do we there, any show, any crap he sing we there. For him to insinuate that Trinis don’t treat he good is a slap to our face. If anything, we does treat him too good. Stand up and be a man for your actions. Don’t be scared now and talk a bunch of bull. Stuepsss!!!

  3. Why are we as Trinidadians and Tobagoians so ignorant? We have a world class club but in everyway possible way we do things to get it closed. I feel so sorry for Mr. Soony. This is what you got for your investment. We as a people, need to adopt a more mature attitude, or we may never progress.

  4. I want to congratulate the writer of this piece. Of all the reports on this incident that I have read, this is the most comprehensive and impartial. Job well done. Keep writing. I’ll keep reading.

  5. There was a program on Power 102FM this morning where the host and many callers were calling on Machel and his family to meet with Russell Pollonais, the man who was injured in the brawl and is still in the hospital, to patch up things.

    Machel and his family have a history of patching up things after their negligence and his poor conduct and I hope the police investigate this matter carefully.

    Time will tell if the injured Pollonais got amnesia from the head bashing and cannot remember who injured him. Who knows what he would eventually say? Maybe he would not even know how some cash ends up in his bank account.

    I do not know who advises Machel’s mother on what to say to the media but that bogus ‘star-boy’ threat to leave the country is arrogant and would not help their case.

  6. leno, grow up! You are obviously not accustomed to visiting clubs herem or anywhere in the world as this typr of behaviour is not acceptable “or legal” in any country, not here or anywhere.

    And as for your feeling sorry for “Mr.Soony”, i don’nt think he feels the same way when he partakes in training the youths to dance like strippers with 96.1’s playlist, then wet them down and make 13 and 15 year olds fete in bikins in foam at 2am every water colors.

    He’s just reaping now, hey, hopefully we will really see if trinis have the maturity you’re pretenting to know about…and have these guys held responsable.

  7. Now. is the victim of the brawl warded “for observation” or “in a serious condition”? Both were mentioned in the article. I am just trying to get the facts straight. Hurrah for Machel’s mother for staying silent on the issue.

  8. Machel Montano Gives Thanks
    Machel Montano held an appreciation ceremony for corporate sponsors, supporters and friends, which took place on the rooftop of club Zen on Wednesday 25th April, 2007. The theme of the evening, “There are Angels Everywhere Helping Us Along the Way”

  9. Since that girl did her thing, and Zen got checked for tapes, and Machel had a party and a brawl there etc. How many children died of starvation worldwide? Estimates are 46,000 a day.
    Just added to provide perspective. We have become a rich country where the frivolous becomes big news. Overfed people are often like that. Look at the items making big news up north, and nothing on the thousands of children who are victims of war, hunger and preventable diseases. Some of us are fed up of the antics of the idle and the well off.

  10. Linda Edwards said: “Just added to provide perspective. We have become a rich country where the frivolous becomes big news. Overfed people are often like that. Look at the items making big news up north, and nothing on the thousands of children who are victims of war, hunger and preventable diseases. Some of us are fed up of the antics of the idle and the well off.”

    The issues involved in these two incidents are being reported alongside all other news in the country together with foreign news.

    These issues are important as they pertain to the conduct of people who many falsely hold as role models. Racism, gender abuses, conduct of young people and the responsibility of adults are all aspects of these debates. Also, many of those clubs have a history of racism and classism; they are now coming under widespread scrutiny, so how they operate is also part of what interests locals and even some foreigners in these debates.

    People were socialized differently so many would have different feelings about all that has transpired.

    If some people think these issues are unimportant, they can always move to other things.

  11. Oh pls what kind of man is this, in denial always, pls action now words later, go forth where you will feel the full brunt of the law and you will mature for sure.

    Thank god for cell phones and hope to GOD you did not beat up on the people mate good luck

  12. MACHEL MONTANO IS NOT ABOVE THE LAW, IF IN FACT HE DID HIT MR.POLLANAIS HE SHOULD BE CHARGED. LET’S WAIT FOR THE VIDEO.

  13. For too long we have been tolerant of our “rich, spoilt” sons of the soil misbehaving in public. I like Machel, but I do not know him personally, so I cannot say that he “didn’t” do it.

    Police Officers do your job and people allow them to do it. If he is guilty, then deal with him accordingly, and if he is found innocent so be it.

    Let us not back away from this issue because it is Machel and his mummy threatens the country with his withdrawal from it. This country existed before all of us and it will survive, after all of us, Machel included.

    Let us not make it an “issue” because Machel and his cohorts are famous, people go to bars, fetes, etc, drink too much alcohol and behave like little boys and girls for what? Shoes? Clothes? Soap and water, or even a dry cleaner…To beat a man almost within an inch of his life, for clothes and shoes…and not even Machel’s? Ha ha, if all those guys cared so much about the little woman’s “kit”, then buy her a new one to impress her, not try to murder the fellowthat accidently spilled something on it…that is Chivalry…No woman likes a hot-head, or a murderer…well I don’t

    GGROW UP LITTLE BOYS…BE MEN!!!

  14. MACHELS MOM SAID SHE BELIEVED HER SON WHEN HE SAID HE DIDNT HIT ANYONE. PUT YOUR NECK ON THE BLOCK IT WILL GET CHOPPED OFF.

  15. Machel Montano: I was attacked

    newsday.co.tt
    Sunday, April 29 2007

    IN A statement late yesterday representatives of soca superstar Machel Montano “emphatically denied” that the popular entertainer was involved in any “violent actions toward anyone at the Zen Night Club”.

    The statement, released by advertising agency Valdez and Torry International, also dismissed reports that Montano planned to migrate.

    Montano said the incident, which occurred early last Thursday morning, began to unfold while he was socialising with friends and without a security detail at Club Zen. The singer claimed a female patron grabbed him from behind and started dancing on him.

    The statement continued: “Machel obliged and the woman, who was not known to him, subsequently left. She then returned shortly and started to “wine” on him. At this point he politely declined and moved to another location at the club. The unknown woman and a male companion followed and proceeded to dance alongside Machel and his partner.”

    According to Montano’s representatives, the soca star and his female friend moved away and were again followed. At some point, they claimed, the unknown woman’s male companion threw a “full drink with ice” on Montano’s female friend. Montano complained to the man who, according to the statement, “became very aggressive and violent” toward Mantano, pushing the entertainer who”defended himself by pushing him back”.

    Club Zen security intervened at that point and escorted the man out of the nightclub.

    However, about half an hour later, Montano claimed he was attempting to leave the nightclub when he was confronted by “the angry congregation of the ejected patron and his posse”.

    “This group continued hurling insults at Machel and Johnny Soong,” the statement continued and a woman spat at Montano and threw a shoe at him.

    According to the statement, Zen’s security personnel surrounded Montano and moved him away from the group to the pavement across the road from the nightclub. He was later escorted to his vehicle and left.

    Montano, who was in Barbados last night performing at Brian Lara’s farewell, is due to arrive in Tobago today for a performance at the Plymouth Jazz Festival.

    He has promised to “give a full statement on the matter to set the record straight” when he returns to Trinidad.

  16. Montano’s statement

    http://www.guardian.co.tt/news7.html

    My name is Machel Montano. I am 32 years of age and I am an entertainer. This is my account of what transpired at Zen nightclub in Port-of-Spain in the early hours of Thursday, 26 April, 2007.

    Earlier that night, that is to say on Wednesday, 25 April, 2007, I attended an appreciation function at Zen’s Rooftop. This was a function hosted by Xtatik Limited thanking all those who had taken part in the Madison Square Garden event, the 2007 album, the AC5 show and the HD bus.

    This was a big year for us and those events have opened a lot of opportunities for my group and for soca as an international genre.

    This was our chance to thank all the people who had helped and supported us and to let them see how we are trying to create a movement that would encourage cultural exchange and bring harmony to different peoples. The event was very successful.

    My friend Marvin Fermin (he is also my personal assistant/driver) and I left the function probably around 10.30 pm. We usually go by Kernal Roberts (Katch) to pass time before heading out to lime.

    This night was no different. The lime was me, Marvin; Kernal Roberts, drummer, musical director and songwriter; Joel Fevek (Zan), a singer who tours with me both as a solo artist and songwriter; Rodney le Blanc (Benjai), he and I write together on an almost daily basis; Jason Ragoo (Snoop), a sort of family relative/friend who, lives by Kernal; Tishard Barrington, a friend and sometimes writer; and Bill Moore.

    We sat down by Kernal, by the piano and also the pool. We limed at Rainorama in Diego Martin until about 12.30 am on Thursday, 26 April, 2007.

    The group of us mentioned above then went to Zen since we hoped to hook up with some foreign guys and girls who we met when we were leaving the appreciation function. They were going into Zen as we were heading out. Those persons (two guys and two girls) had indicated to me that they were foreign students doing an exchange programme at UWI on soca music and they had just completed a project about me.

    When we arrived at Zen we headed straight to the centre bar in the general admission area. The VIP was closed that night. As anticipated, we met up with the foreign students who were from Michigan. They were the first people we got to hang out with. One of the girls name was Tricia.

    The crowd in Zen that night was kind of small. I noticed that the front portion of the bar to the stage was kind of empty and I chose to hang around by that spot as my liming area that night since I felt safe and comfortable there.

    My security detail which usually comprises three to four persons was not with me that night because I wanted to relax and mingle privately.

    I was dancing with one of the foreign girls who we met and after a while I got tired of this and moved away. I went by the bar to be by myself.

    While facing the bar, as I stood up, a girl came and grabbed me from behind. I had seen this girl earlier. She was a sort of dougla. Not fair, but not dark. She was kind of busty. I would describe her as thick and big bottomed. She and her group had been partying around us and I remember making eye contact with her.

    This girl came behind me and started wining on me. I didn’t do anything. I just stood there because that is something that happens to me a lot. She finished wining on me and stepped close to me. She said in my ear “yuh know is me who was dancing with you just now.” I said yes and that was it. She went her way and I went off to talk to a couple friends.

    Now from the time I came into the club there was this fella in a stripe shirt who kept coming by me and saying things. He kept pushing his head in my face and speaking in a garbled manner. This guy was short and of African descent. He appeared to be drunk.

    I moved away. I kept constantly away from this guy but somehow it would happen that he would get close to me. I remember going and saying to Marvin “that guy there looking like he trying to cause trouble… let’s keep an eye on that.”

    After chatting with friends and dancing with a couple of girls I just wanted to stand and relax for a little while. While doing that the same dougla girl and some other girls came back by me trying to wine on me again.

    I had on a pair of long shoes and they were mashing my foot on occasions. I eventually asked them “Is there any way all you could shift a lil bit,” —because there was nowhere else I could retreat to since the bar was behind me.

    They didn’t take me on but continued dancing around me. The dougla girl tried to throw her bottom on me. I moved away. This seemed to have irritated her because she asked me “wha happen?” I explained that it was not like that. It’s just that I was not feeling to dance with anybody at that moment, and that I was just taking a little moment for myself.

    Just then a friend of mine, Maleka Gonzales, came up to me. She and I then started dancing together.

    While Maleka and I were dancing, the dougla girl and the guy in the blue stripe shirt started dancing around us. I just feel wetness on me and then I see it on Maleka. Her pants were soaked and I was wet too. There was a glass on the floor and a lot of ice around me and Maleka.

    I went to speak to the guy about throwing the drink and he lunged at me. I pushed him off and the Zen security came and took the guy away.

    As security was taking the guy in the stripe shirt out of the club all the other people who was with him started to follow him out. In his crew I remember seeing the dougla girl among the group. There was also a tall girl, a fat girl, and a dark-skinned girl with glasses. They were all fretting and carrying on while heading out with the guy.

    I stayed inside the club talking to Maleka. As far as I was aware everything had died down and settled down. Sometime after Kernal then came to me and said that there were people outside carrying on and cussing. He felt we should leave because they were causing a scene outside the club. We then left the club.

    To my surprise, when we reached the staircase we encountered a group of about 15 people who started cursing and abusing us. The dark-skinned girl with glasses was carrying on about how she had spent $400 to go to my show and another $100 to come here. The fat girl was also cursing and making a lot of noise.

    At some point someone pelted a side of shoe at me. One of the girls also spat at us. All I said is “why all ya doh go home because all ya didn’t see anything.” I was referring to the incident which took place in the club earlier.

    Some guys who were with the girls (one of whom I now recognise from the newspapers reports to be Brandis Brown) were also hurling insults at us and saying things.

    At one point, Snoop was facing me and he threw the contents of the cup that was in his hand up into the air (he did not throw the Styrofoam cup). I think that Brandis Brown is the fella who got wet from the drink. Brandis Brown said ‘nah!’ Then he and others grabbed Snoop and pulled him to one side.

    At this point three or four members of Zen Security surrounded me. They carried me across the street and had me against a fence. I believe that they did this to protect me.

    I don’t know what happened after at the entrance. At one point I remember seeing the girls approaching in my direction and the security holding them back. This made the girls more irate. Tishard and Marvin were there with me.

    Tishard told the girls that they should go home. But they kept on cussing and carrying on. The security restrained one of the girls but she got away and spat at me. The spit landed on Tishard who was in front of me. Tishard raised his hand as if to hit the girl at which point the security let the girl go and tackled Tishard.

    When security was holding Tishard I told them that “is she who spit on us… all ya not protecting us.” At this point, I looked across to my right and I saw a fella on the ground. I was in the middle of the street and the fella on the ground was more on the left side. He was about 15 to 20 feet away from me. I have no idea as to what actually happened to cause him to be on the ground.

    Marvin said let’s go and I went with him. There were still a lot of people milling around in the area when we left. I went straight home from there. I was not involved in any fight outside of Zen.

    I heard several and different versions of what happened in the media. I was scheduled to leave T&T on Friday morning (27 April) to go to Barbados to perform at the Brian Lara farewell (end of Cricket World Cup). I wanted to make sure that the police heard from me what had happened before leaving.

    Although I was not approached by the police, I went to the Belmont Police Station about 7.00 pm on Thursday, 26 April.

    I met police officers there. I sat down and waited for an hour. Then an officer (who I think was a Superintendent) asked me to bear with them because they had been at this all day.

    I hadn’t eaten and was very tired due to lack of sleep. However, I sat and waited for about another hour. When they came back I asked if it was okay if I could leave now and return another day. The police said it was.

    I have read the above statement and the contents stated in it are true and correct.

    Signed

    Date 3/05/07

    Machel denies part in Zen fracas
    SOCA artiste Machel Montano has categorically denied lashing, spitting on, or injuring anyone during a fracas at Zen nightclub on Keate Street in Port-of-Spain last week Thursday…

  17. Club fracas victim:
    Soca artiste wanted blood that night

    By Sascha Wilson

    RUSSELL Pollonais, who was hospitalised after a fracas at Zen nighclub on April 26, is insisting that he was attacked and beaten by a popular soca artiste and his entourage.

    “We tried to apologise for the drink that spilled.., but all he wanted that night was blood. It look like only when I was on the floor he (the soca artiste) was satisfied,” Pollonais said during a press conference at attorney Anand Ramlogan’s office in San Fernando, yesterday.

    It was the first time that Pollonais, who was discharged from hospital on Monday, spoke out about the incident in which he was allegedly beaten unconscious.

    His friend Brandis Brown, 21, also claimed to have been beaten by a soca performer, who allegedly smashed a glass in his eye.

    Pollonais, 24, of Princes Town, said he was a big fan of the soca entertainer, but is determined to see this matter through to the legal end.

    “…You cannot just beat up innocent people. You cannot expect to be above the law,” he said.

    Recalling the incident, Pollonais said one of the girls liming with them accidentally spilled her drink on a popular entertainer.

    He said “everybody started apologising to him,” but the bouncers escorted them out of the club.

    Pollonais said the girls were at the bottom of the steps outside the club when an entertainer and his entourage stormed out and confronted them.

    He said the entertainer then slapped one of the girls. “These girls start to retaliate. He (artiste) was swinging at the girls.”

    Pollonais said the entertainer’s bodyguards took him by a car opposite the club. He said that was when Brown approached the entertainer and asked him why he slapped the girl.

    He said the entertainer and about ten to 15 men began beating Brown. Pollonais said he managed to pull him away and they all began to run down Pembroke Street.

    Pollonais said he realised two of his friends were missing and he ran back for them. On his way back, he was confronted by an entertainer.

    “I told him I don’t want no trouble. He (the soca entertainer) and about 15 men ran into me and started beating me. I was just blocking lash and I blacked out.”

    Pollonais said he still experiences headaches. He said he is awaiting the results of a CAT scan which was done while he was hospitalised.

    Ramlogan said he had filed an application under the Freedom of Information Act to get the results of all the tests performed on Pollonais while he was hospitalised.

    ©2005-2006 Trinidad Publishing Company Limited

    http://www.guardian.co.tt/news10.html

  18. I wasn’t in any fight

    By RHONDOR DOWLAT
    Friday, May 4 2007

    POLICE will today begin reviewing a statement supplied by soca star Machel Montano in which he denied being involved in a fight outside the Zen nightclub on the morning of April 26. Montano hand delivered his statement to the Belmont Police Station at about 11.15 am yesterday and then hosted a media conference at 2 pm where he reiterated his claim of innocence almost word for word.

    The briefing was held at the VIP Lounge of the Jean Pierre Complex in Port-of-Spain. Police investigators told Newsday yesterday evening that they are vigorously pursuing the matter and are also awaiting statements from three others. In the conference yesterday Montano said that on April 25 he attended an Appreciation Function at Zen’s Roof Top which was hosted by Xtatik Limited. He said he had left the function at about 10.30 pm and “went by Kernal Roberts (Kitch) to pass time before heading out to lime.” “This night was no different,” the singer’s written statement said. “The lime was me, Marvin; Kernal Roberts, drummer, musical director and songwriter; Joel Fevek (Zan), a singer who tours with me both as a solo artiste and songwriter; Rodney le Blanc (Benjai), he and I write together on an almost daily basis; Jason Ragoo (Snoop), a sort of family relative/friend who lives by Kernal; Tishard Barrington, a friend and sometimes writer; and Bill Moore,” Montano said. Montano told the media the group of them left Rainorama at about 12.30 am on April 26 for Zen, in hope of “hooking up with some foreign guys and girls who they met when they were leaving the appreciation function.”

    Montano, who said he did not have any security detail with him that night, said that when they arrived at Zen they headed straight to the centre bar in the general admission area. Then he danced with friends, rested for a while during which time he was “wined on” by a “dougla girl” and was dancing again when he was soaked with a drink. “While my friend who I met at the club, Maleka Gonzales and I were dancing, a dougla girl and the guy in the blue stripe shirt started dancing around us. I just felt wetness on me and then I see it on Maleka. Her pants were soaked and I was wet too. There was a glass on the floor and a lot of ice around me and Maleka. I went to speak to the guy about throwing the drink and he lunged at me. I pushed him off and the Zen security came and took the guy away,” Montano recalled. At this point Montano repeatedly denied slapping anyone. He said however, that after the pushing incident Zen’s security took the guy out of the club and the other people who were with the guy started to follow him.

    Montano said that he remained inside the club talking to Maleka as he thought that “everything had died down and settled down.” He said that sometime after Roberts then came to him and said that there were people outside “carrying on and cussing” and that he (Montano) should leave because they were causing a scene outside the club. “We then left,” Montano said. “To my surprise when we reached the staircase we encountered a group of people who started cursing and abusing us. The security restrained one of the girls but she got away and spat on me. When security was holding Tishard I told them that “is she who spit on us…all ya not protecting us.” At this point, I looked across to my right and I saw a fella on the ground. I was in the middle of the street and the fella on the ground was more on the left side. He was about 15 to 20 feet away from me. I have no idea as to what actually happened to cause him to be on the ground.” Montano said. Montano stated that he had gone to the station at about 7 pm on April 26 to give a statement and after two hours of waiting told the police that he had to leave as he had a “pressing weekend” where he was due to leave on April 27 to go to Barbados to perform at the Brian Lara farewell and on April 29 to leave for Tobago to perform at the Plymouth Jazz Festival. After he was given the nod by police, Montano left the station only to return yesterday where he gave a written statement to the police. Montano explained that yesterday morning was the earliest possible time that he could have scheduled his visit to the station. Montano said that he believed that it was important to him to have his name cleared.

    Montano’s attorney Anthony Vieira said that currently they were trying tocontact independent patrons, besides Gonzales, who witnessed the incident and would encourage them to give statements to the police.

    Meanwhile one of the men allegedly involved in the fracas, Brandis Brown of Manahambre Road, Princes Town has said he and a group of friends on vacation from England, were partying when one of them was slapped at the nightclub during the fracas. One of the club’s bouncers, Brown said, intervened “and threw our friends out of the club without finding out what happened and who was wrong.” Brown said he left the club and decided to gather the rest of his friends, “met up with one of the men involved in the fight and I asked him ‘why you slapped my friend’, and the man just hit me across my face with a champagne glass.” Brown added that about 15 other men rushed to him and he was thrown onto the hood of a car where he was kicked and cuffed. Brown said his friend Russel Pollonais saw what was taking place and intervened to try and save him (Brown).

    Pollonais of King Street, Princes Town he said was beaten and he slumped unconscious to the ground. He was taken to hospital.

    http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,56527.html

  19. Machel is a wannabe gangster and wannabe hip hop artist.

    this is the second time he is reported for violent behaviour, remember carnival tuesday.

    but i guess when yuh in a nation of feters, the chief feter can do no wong.

  20. i donot think these young men will get justice ,vedio or no vedio. when you have money in this country you can paid for anything. and what is taking them so long to show the vedio. what? machel do you think everyone is stupid? please grow up and stop trying to me a want to be badboy. and please elizabeth he is not a little boy anymore ,he is a man and men lie

  21. Machel made a settlement offer to Brandis Brown for the matter not to reach the court we should wonder why,
    does he have something to hide
    AND if Kernal is a complete retard then Machel is 10 times worst, – if a fight is taking place OUTSIDE, you are INSIDE
    why would you want to get out of the club IDIOT
    i guess he needed an excuse for following these patrons
    he obviously thinks of Trinidad as the wild wild west
    Machel you should use all your negative energy to produce more meaningful lyrics in your songs, we tired fly fly fly in every damn song

  22. I am thoroughly disappointed by the behaviour of Machel and his entourage. Mainly because he is a prominent figure and as such should have set a better example. I am not saying that the other parties are absolved of blame, but that the situation could have been handled in a mature manner.
    What message are you sending exactly to the youths?

  23. Machel this, Machel that. Why don’t everyone get a life and leave Machel alone. Don’t you people think that maybe people started with him. Maybe he was tring to protect himsel. I know if i was him i would protect myself. People say Machel is ignorent well so is every one else. None of you people were there not even me. We all know Machel for many years. Come on people we need to support machel after all he is Trinidad’s favorite son.

  24. I am sorry, but from my point of view I think something is just fishy about how the victims (Pollonais and Brandis) are telling their side of the story. I cannot imagine a scenario where someone spills a drink on someone and the person says sorry, and still gets beat up. It just does not make any sense, it doesn’t add up. I do not want to sound like just because Machel is an entertainer, he cannot be at fault. To me, its just the angle at which the victims are telling the story, indicates that piece of the puzzle to this story is missing. I mean ask yourself this, why didn’t any witnesses see machel and his entourage physically abuse these people. Where are all the witness? This is a club, a very popular one at that, which means that there were a lot of people around in and outside of it. Ok fine, say machel did slap the person while they were in the club; why would machel follow these people down the road to beat them up. Machel is an entertainer who has a very busy life, why would he even think of persuing such a thing. I can see a person who doesn’t have a life and doesn’t have much to go home to, doing something such as following someone after a club to beat them up for something so small. Sorry for the long comment, but like i said personally these people sound fishy to me and people such as them tend to do things like this to get attention and try to get money off these entertainers. I go to school in the US and i have seen some people who are in the spotlight taken advantage off by random people who are just looking for attention and of course money.

  25. Wow, i have no idea what to say…well maybe this Jannelle you think the story sounds fish, you obviously 1)haven’t been to Trinidad in a while 2) have become so American that you think Stars shit gold and do no wrong. So let just say its a combination of both and the ability you lack to take in all the facts.
    Brandis is my cousin, and he’s a person that you can tell when he is fibbing. I live in Canada, i have personally seen Machel’s stink attitude and rude boi antics first hand when he comes here for Carribana. He believes that because he is an entertainer that he’s immune from any and everything. I’ve seen him spit, slap, cuff, kick and pelt things at people some aggravated and most unaggregated.
    Only a cloons would think that that ass wouldn’t be capable of such a childish crime. The man went on TV and said he had video of the fight, how much time has passed…and still no video.
    Anyone who messes with my family will pay an ultimate price in the end, we don’t need money so get that out your minds, we are just tired of seeing status and titles getting exemptions from justice. Trinidad is in a sad state for such a beautiful country.
    Brandis we behind you boy!!! see ya soon eh.

  26. i am not suprised at all over the issue. machel off stage is a completely different person. i dislike his attitude when he not performing, so are we then still going to glorify a men who is great on stage but an a$s off stage.we all make mistakes and hopefully he will learn from this and change his attitude.what message is he sending to upcoming artiste? in trinidad we like to glorify men that feel they are better than the average joe.i believe that the real victims are those two boys.

  27. please people go learn to spell before you pass judgement on others were you at the club and not until you have kids you will understand his mom, also if you people know who Machel really is and the heart he has you will keep quite,he is an entertainer yes, but he wants to live a normal life and if you people keep bothering him,yes he need to defend himself, because you never know who is standing next to you and why for some reason people love spilling drinks on Machel,please answer this, please leave him alone and listen to his songs. UNITY BLESS

  28. i cant believe people would really think we have time to lie about this night…we wanted to go out and enjoy ourselves as a family not get in to confrontation with a celebrity of his status over a drink being split…I am totally disgusted!

  29. Turner you say you hope we learn how to spell but yet you write and I quote.. “if you people know who Machel really is and the heart he has you will keep quite”. I am unbiased I think both parties are at fault. WHy was a drink spilt in the first place? and if an apology was rendered then why did Machel’s hostility continue? I do notthink it is an issue of spilling drinks on Machel specifically or that these people wre looking for an argument. We do not know the personalities of htese people bringing these accusations against Machel and as such cannot make a fair assessment. HOwever, and htis is where Machel loses credibility, Machel’s reptation preceeds him. He is known to be arrogant and ignorant, to be walking on the clouds, and maybe in this one time he was the attackee and innocent, but its like the fable of the boy who cried wolf. If we are accustomed to an aggressive, arrogant man what makes this incident different?

    Pepci you claim that we must stand for Machel because he is Trinidad’s favourite son, but what kind of parent would Trinidad be if we left our son alone and not discipline him for his actions? Maybe this is why there are so many role models that disgrace thmselves and think it is acceptable. So maybe your response should bethat we should get at the bottom of the issue rather than blindly support behind “Trinidad’s Son” regardless of his err.

    NOw put yourself in Machel’s position, he was wet down with adrink, do you think he went over to the guy and said “pardon me you spilt adrink on me would you apologize please?” Somehow I doubt it. And yet even more if you were Russell and your girlfriend complains a drink was spilt on her or whatever the case may be, isn’t it that mature thing to stand up for your girlfriend.

    What determines the liar from the teller of truth would be the testimony from an independent witness, who is not a machel fan and also has no affiliation to Russell and since we have not seen any thing or heard anything from such a person, maybe we should not cast blame.

    Ciao!

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