Abihail Myrie will report to the police ‘when she feels safe’ — Lawyer
Published:Thursday | October 14, 2021 | 12:09 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Attorney-at-law Aisha Robb, who is representing, Abihail Myrie, says that when her client feels safe, she will present herself to the police in order for them to take her name off the missing persons’ list.
She notes that Myrie is “in good health,” except for the physical abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of family members.
Robb is the second lawyer in as many days to have come out to state publicly that contrary to Tuesday’s report from the Corporate Communications Unit of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), Abihail Myrie, the 21-year-old model daughter of veteran, Grammy Award-winning deejay Buju Banton, is not missing.
Maurice McCurdy, who said on Tuesday evening that he was the lawyer for the family, had stated that Myrie was not missing and that he had also informed the police of that fact. He later told The Gleaner he was retained by Lorna Strachan and Banton to act in a matter pertaining to their daughter. “I act on behalf of the Myrie family. I was retained by Lorna Strachan and Mark Myrie, the mother and father of Abihail Myrie, for the purpose of this correspondence to say that she was not missing. Her father was concerned. Miss Abihail Myrie was never missing, and it was important to put it out there,” McCurdy told The Gleaner.
A letter was posted to Abihail’s social media on Wednesday morning, signed by Robb, who she said was her “real lawyer”. This has caused her followers on social media to admit that they were confused and questioned what was really happening. The speculation that she was not in charge of her own social media pages persisted, and fans have been asking for video proof that Abihail is, in fact, doing well.
Robb, who was in court on Wednesday morning, later brought some clarity to the situation.
“I have been Miss Myrie’s lawyer and would have represented her in prior matters,” Robb told The Gleaner. She said Abihail did retain and instruct her “in this matter”, to deal with a family dispute, and that she spoke to her on Wednesday morning and she was in good health except for the physical abuse she alleges she experienced.
STILL CONSIDERED MISSING
The Jamaica Constabulary Force has said that she will be considered missing until Myrie reports in person to a police station. However, Robb says that when her client feels safe, then she will report to the police. There were no immediate plans in place for her to do so on Wednesday.
“I am aware of the policies of the JCF as it relates to missing persons. When Miss Myrie feels it is safe, at the appropriate juncture, she [will] present herself to the police,” Robb explained.
She added that it was not clear who had filed the report to the police.
In 2020, Myrie represented well in the #VogueChallenge and enjoyed fulsome support from fans on Twitter and Instagram for her world-class editorial images, which quickly racked up more than four million views. Her father reposted the images on Instagram, along with the caption, “Abi my wailers, U go girl. Love u baby.”
The challenge was meant to highlight the potential of black creatives throughout the African diaspora, including models, photographers, stylists, and other professionals.
The then 20-year-old Myrie was featured on the official websites of Vogue US, Vogue Japan, Vogue Australia, Teen Vogue, and The Cut, among others. She was also highlighted in a segment of ‘Good Morning America’.
“This is a young, brilliant and promising young lady, and I hope that this will be behind her soon,” Robb said of her client.
When quizzed about the abuse allegations made by Abihail through her lawyer, McCurdy stated, “I have nothing to comment on that at this time, and it would be unreasonable to ask me for a comment as I have made no such allegation.”