A number of bar owners who last month had their establishments raided by police and had several of their employees arrested and charged in court with managing a brothel yesterday filed a judicial protest against the Police Commissioner claiming that frequent police raids are scaring their employees and clients and causing irreparable damage.

The protest was filed by the companies Three Sixty Limited, AO Operations Limited, Falcon Leisure Limited, Friends for Entertainment and RDVM Limited. These companies manage or own Steam, AO, Darlings, AO Platinum and Secrets.

In court last week, several investigators testified that the police have no evidence whatsoever that the women charged in court were managing a brothel. The companies complained that although this evidence was given in court, the police are still raiding the establishments illegally because the police are not in possession of the necessary search warrants issued by the duty magistrate.

The companies said that during these raids, the police are asking clients and employees for their particulars making them believe that their presence there was immoral or that they were doing something wrong or illegal by going for a drink at their bars.

They therefore called on the Police Commissioner to stop these illegal raids because these are causing irreparable harm to their businesses and are holding him responsible for the damages they are sustaining.