Senior Reporter
derek.achong@guardian.co.tt
A former soldier and national footballer has been acquitted of kidnapping, falsely imprisoning and raping his ex-girlfriend nearly two decades ago.
Odelle Armstrong had the charges hanging over him for more than 18 years before he was found not guilty at the end of his judge-alone trial before Justice Hayden St Clair-Douglas earlier this year.
The charges against Armstrong stemmed from an alleged incident in February 2008.
He was accused of holding the woman against her will at a house on St Francois Valley Road, Belmont, and raping her.
Armstrong was 24 years old and a private in the T&T Defence Force (TTDF) at the time.
During the trial, Armstrong, through his attorneys Keith Scotland, SC, and Asha Watkins-Montserin, denied any wrongdoing and claimed the woman fabricated the allegations after their relationship ended.
The alleged victim did not testify during the trial due to purported medical reasons, and her evidence from a preliminary inquiry was admitted into evidence against Armstrong.
After the prosecution closed its case, Justice St Clair-Douglas upheld a no-case submission by Armstrong’s lawyers, ruling that there was insufficient evidence against him.
In an interview at Guardian Media’s Port-of-Spain office yesterday afternoon, Armstrong described the outcome as bittersweet, claiming the allegations had ruined his life.
He said numerous friends stopped speaking to him after he was accused of the offences. He was also dishonourably discharged from the TTDF while the charges were pending.
Armstrong, who represented the country as a striker at both Under-20 and senior levels, said he also missed out on trials with professional football clubs in North America and Europe that had been arranged before he was accused by the woman.
“I thank God for helping me to endure during that time,” he said.
He also thanked his mother, deceased father, siblings and wife for supporting him financially and emotionally before he was exonerated.
“They all stood by me because they knew what I was accused of was out of my character,” Armstrong said.
The father of two said he has had difficulty finding long-term employment both while the matter was before the court and since he was acquitted.
“Everywhere I go for a job and they pull up the article of me being charged and say they would get back to me but never do,” he said.
“I want to be able to assist more with my two sons,” he added.
Armstrong said he now intends to pursue legal action against the TTDF for discharging him before he had an opportunity to prove his innocence.
He noted that several colleagues who joined the TTDF at the same time as him now hold senior ranks.
Despite the challenges, Armstrong said he continued to play football at an amateur level and is currently competing in an Over-40 football league.
“Last weekend, I scored a hat-trick. I still have it (skills),” Armstrong said.
