ttgapers.com

Soca artiste Machel Montano is denying claims that he fired any punches in a brawl which landed a 24-year-old Russell Pollonaise in hospital nursing head injuries. However, Montano, through his mother Elizabeth, admitted that he was at Zen nightclub located on Keate Street, Port-of-Spain, when the incident occurred early yesterday morning.

Montano supplied a statement to police officials at the Belmont Police Station late yesterday evening although he was reportedly not contacted by the investigators.

In a telephone interview yesterday evening, Elizabeth said: "Yes, he was there but he had to ward off an intoxicated guy coming at him and he had to ward off some ladies inside the club."

"When he came out of the club he was accosted by them again, but Machel did not hit anyone," she said.

"I know my son and the kind of relationship Machel and I have, if he told me he did not hit anybody, I believe him.

"Right now, he is feeling totally destroyed by the people who would say hurtful things about him and the incident, and they were not even there."

According to Elizabeth, the incident, in which Russell Pollonais was beaten outside of the nightclub, has left Montano traumatised.

"Machel will speak to his fans about the incident at a later date because he was very traumatised by the incident," she said.

"Especially by the negative publicity and the negative statements." Elizabeth also said the incident may cause her son to migrate permanently.

She said, "He is thinking about migrating because he has done so much for everybody and tries to accommodate everybody and he feels that he is not accepted and loved."