-Belize court awards US$8000 in damages
BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — Soca artiste Destra Garcia has been ordered to pay just over US$8,000 after a court in Belize found that she personally injured a man — Fernando Oliva — while gyrating on him at a concert in September 2015.
Oliva filed a civil claim against Destra, claiming that she jumped on him, and ruptured his bladder as she performed at ‘The Carnival Overload’ concert.
Oliva claimed he was called on stage to dance with Destra. Following the dance, a video showed him lying ground.
The court was told that Destra then said, “If you’s bad boy, I will treat you bad! Treat him bad?”
The crowd is said to have responded in the affirmative.
According to court documents, Destra jumped on top of him in a move closer to wrestling than soca.
The court said Oliva was rushed to the hospital for emergency medical care right after leaving the stage.
After recovering, he sued Destra for personal injury, and during a court appearance last week, the judge ruled that the soca artiste should pay Oliva.
Lawyers successfully argued that Destra was negligent in her actions, leading to injury to the man.
The court granted a default judgement against Destra as she did not enter a defense and lawyers said they are now in talks with attorneys in Trinidad and Tobago to enforce the judgement in that jurisdiction.
Destra has the right to appeal the judgement in Belize.
The attorneys said they have sought the assistance of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Trinidad and Tobago to serve her with the documents.
Destra, who departed Belize for Miami on Tuesday, has promised to issue a statement through her attorney.
