Shanique Myrie scores first victory in finger rape case

Jamaica's Shanique Myrie secured her first victory this afternoon, in the case of illegal cavity search brought against the Barbados government.

The Caribbean Court of Justice CCJ granted Myrie leave to bring her case against the Barbados government.

Shanique Myrie was granted twenty-one days to file her originating application, which will signal the start of the next phase of the proceedings, which will be the trial of the issues at play.

The 24-year-old Jamaican is alleging that she was finger raped by a female immigration officer, insulted, and then denied entry to Barbados on March 14 last year.

Myrie's lawyers, led by Michelle Brown, argued before a packed court  earlier today that Myrie's rights were infringed on, when she was not only refused entry to barbados, but was also discriminated against.

Prior to today’s hearing, Barbados had always contended that Myrie did not have an arguable case and that they would vigorously defend any claims brought by her in this matter.

However, after hearing the submissions of Myrie's lead counsel, Barbados conceded minutes into their rebuttal that Miss Myrie had in fact made out an arguable case.

The nation newspaper in Barbados reports that Myrie - dressed in a black two-piece suit, sat at the front of the public gallery, twitching her fingers as her lawyers outlined their arguments in court.

Today's hearing has attracted members from the legal fraternity; including magistrates, as well as lecturers and students of the University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus and senior public officials.