A mother-of-two was arrested yesterday evening as her neighbours watched after a landlord accused her of living on his property illegally.

Iesha Francis, 25, has been living in the Friswell?s Hill, Pembroke, apartment with her roommate, 23-year-old Shekeia Wade and her two sons aged 5 and 7, since January.

She was arrested by Police officers after a tense, two-hour stand-off during which her roommate refused to let the landlord remove Ms Francis?s belongings from the home.

Police took time to explain the situation to Ms Wade ?so that I could understand it a little?.

But by the time Ms Francis returned home after work ?she (P.c. Carol Smith) said she had things to do and she?d been there long enough,? Ms Wade said.

?She (Ms Francis) wasn?t there when they explained it to me, and when she went off, just like I did at first, they cuffed her. They lost patience.?

Her roommate was carried off for obstructing the peace, and the woman?s two sons were forced to spend the night with their godmother.

When Ms Francis moved into the two-bedroom apartment in January, Ms Wade, new to the world of landlords and leases, said she was unaware she had to inform her landlord of his new tenant (Ms Francis).

She said the landlord was aware of the living arrangement.

She said the landlord wanted her out of the apartment, and showed letters from law firm Trott and Duncan which stated she had not paid her rent and so must be evicted ? a fact Ms Wade disputed.

Ms Francis then also received a letter from Trott and Duncan stating she was living on the property illegally, and had to be out by April 5.

Neither woman had anywhere else to go, however, and both insisted on staying in the apartment until they found another place to live.

Yesterday, Ms Wade was told her roommate had to be out by 3 p.m., and that the landlord would visit with Police to ensure they were gone.

?They knew she was there since January,? Ms Wade said. ?But now they?re saying she?s trespassing.

?This didn?t resolve anything, all her stuff?s still inside.

?We want to leave as much as they want us to. They keep harassing me. I want to go. But I?m not going ?til I have somewhere to go.?

Trott and Duncan lawyer Leo Mills could not be contacted for comment yesterday.