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Over the past few days we've been carefully monitoring and reporting on the continued gang warfare in the city. Yesterday we asked the Compol for details regarding gang figure Alex Underwood's arrest despite his family's claim that the 31 year old is no longer involved in gang activities. And while the Compol told us that they believe Underwood is still making moves behind the scenes in the gang world, his attorney Dickie Bradley says that an innocent man was jailed.
Reporter
"Reporters asked the Compol about Alex Alexander, Joshua Underwood. They say he's a leader of the SSG southside gang but his family says he's being judged wrongly. In fact, he's now an upstanding citizen. Part owner of a football team. We understand you're going to apply for his bail tomorrow. Tell us about that case."
Dickie Bradley, Attornet-At-Law
"Well, he was, in fact, told by the magistrate, senior magistrate Tricia Pitts-Anderson, that in lieu of the particular charge, it's one of those charges where the magistrates are deprived of their discretion to grant bail to an accused person. But that does not shackle the hands of the Supreme Court. And so, in fact, in court, he explained to the senior magistrate that he had been down this road before."
"They had brought that charge of him being involved with gangs, and nothing came of that. In fact, they couldn't muster sufficient evidence to even proceed to a trial. So senior magistrate listening to his complaint that he was actually being targeted, and she advised him that that option is available to him, which is the right of any accused to apply for bail."
"So he has in fact, is in the process of doing that. That is his right under the laws of the country."
We note that Underwood is the owner and coach of the Port Loyola Football club, and is fully committed to the sport and the club's activities. Bradley believes that there is no way Underwood would be able to safely manage a football club out in a public space while still being an active gang member.
Dickie Bradley, Attornet-At-Law
"Those are words from his family, but he has been able to show that he's deeply involved in the matter of the football team, which he and those family members that are part of the support group are very proud of because the football team does well. And in fact, you can't do two things can't be married, you can't be involved publicly. As a semi, coach, owner of a football team of young people and be at the various stadia and other public places where you are coaching, training, being with them. And then you carry this huge baggage where out of the blues. Somebody is coming, a shotta is coming. It doesn't work like that anymore. You have to when you are involved in any kind of gangs you're a target because you know, if they can shoot Peter the will shoot Paul. I'm sure the situation would be dangerous for him to even be considered to be involved in gangs with so many rivalry."
"I can quickly tell you that in 2008 there were about six known gangs in the country and in 2020 there are no 29 gangs in the country. Something is going very, very wrong."
