Denero Whyms, described by authorities as a soldier in the Grove Hot Niggas Gang, is charged with the September 10, 2023 of Katraz Coakley.
According to authorities, the fellow gang members were running together on Lightbourne Avenue when Whyms shot Lightbourne in the head, killing him on the spot.
Police said both men were dressed in black and wearing gloves and masks.
In refusing bail, Grant-Thompson cited the high number of gang-related retaliatory killings.
At the time of his death, Coakley was on bail for two murders that took place in 2018.
He was charged with the April 2018 murder of Christian Moree, the attempted murders of Romello Moss and Tarsman Clarke, and the fatal shooting of Roland Williams in June 2018.
Coakley had recently been freed from prison for violating the terms of his bail by failing to charge his ankle bracelet.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2023
Man accused of killing fellow gang member denied bail for his safety
Man convicted of web shop murder
Nassau, Bahamas- A Supreme Court jury has convicted William Etienne of killing a 42-year-old man in cold blood as he used a computer at a web shop in August 2018.
Prosecutors say William Etienne shot Alvin Strachan, described as a cripple, multiple times after accusing him of insulting his mother.
Etienne, who frequented the FML Web Shop on Balfour Avenue and East Street daily, admitted to going to the business on the day of the murder; however, he denied he was the killer.
In his testimony, Etienne said that he was at a car wash on Miami Street.
However, when questioned about police by the murder days later, Etienne claimed that he was at his father’s tailor shop, which is across the street from the web shop.
Justice Franklyn Williams KC will hold a sentencing hearing on February 8.
Kenny Thompson prosecuted and Etienne decided to represent himself.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2023
Gang members begs to return to jail
Nassau,BAHAMAS- A gang member is back in prison after being a judge to send him there for his safety.
Anthon Munroe, reportedly a member of the Grove Hot Niggas, made the request days after rivals shot up his home.
After the attempt on his life, Munroe made an emergency application to have his bail revoked, using an argument often used by prosecutors when they object to bail.
Munroe had been on bail for over a year while awaiting trial for the murder of Shermalle Ferguson Jr at First Street, Coconut Grove on September 15, 2020.
Ferguson was sitting in a car when a gunman, whom prosecutors say is Munroe, approached on a motorcycle and shot him multiple times.
Authorities have said that the high number of retaliatory killings makes being released on bail a death sentence.
But the judicial system has been unable to keep pace with the crime rate, causing people to be freed on bail because they can’t be tried within a reasonable time.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2023
Man jailed for illegal relationship with teen girl
Nassau, Bahamas- A 40–year-old funeral director has been jailed for five years for having an illegal sexual relationship with his teenage girlfriend.
Godfrey Gray, then 37, began a sexual relationship with the 14-year-old girl, whom he met at a funeral, in October 2020.
In December 2020, he was arrested and charged with unlawful sexual intercourse once the child’s parents learned about their “relationship.”
Gray was released on bail in January 2021 on the condition that he had no contact with his teen girlfriend.
While free on bail, Gray resumed his sexual relationship with the child. Police caught him and the child at Smith’s Motel on East Street in March 2021.
He was charged with additional counts of unlawful sexual intercourse and remanded into custody.
Gray took a plea deal in the cases this week and was sentenced to five years in prison.
The time he’s spent in custody will be deducted from his overall sentence.
After completing his sentence, Gray will be on probation for two years. A conviction during the probationary period will land him in jail for a year.
Gray’s teen victim is now 16 years old.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2023
Ex-prison officer accused of gang member’s murder granted bail
Nassau, BAHAMAS- A former prison officer accused of murdering a reputed member of the Grove Hot Niggas street gang has been granted bail.
Desmond Gilbert is charged with the October 21 murder of Valenbino McKenzie, otherwise known as Debo.
Gilbert’s bail has been set at $20,000 and he’s required to surrender his passport, wear an ankle bracelet, keep a curfew and check in at a police station.
McKenzie was in the front of his home on First Street in Coconut Grove when he was ambushed by two gunmen, one of them alleged to be Gilbert.
McKenzie ran for his life, but the armed thugs pursued him and shot him multiple times, killing him on the spot.
The day after McKenzie’s murder, Gilbert was shot in the leg while in the front of his home in Big Pond.
It’s unclear if the incidents are related.
Gilbert survived another attempt on his life in April 2022.
Gunmen opened fire on the car he was traveling with within minutes of his release on bail on a gun charge.
Copyright ©️ Bahamas Court News 2023
2 dead, 1 injured in gang shootout
Nassau, BAHAMAS- Two people were killed and a third man was injured during a shootout between gang rivals in Yellow Elder Gardens on Wednesday.
It happened around 4:35pm at Nicholas Court.
Police said a group of men were sitting on a wall in front of a home when two gunmen emerged from a car opened fire on them.
The men on the wall reportedly returned fire.
When police arrived at the scene, they met a man dead in the street. A second victim was taken to the Grove Police Station by private car, where he was pronounced dead.
A suspect in the shooting turned up at the hospital with gunshot wounds and his condition is unknown.
Man convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping
Nassau, BAHAMAS-A man has been convicted after a businesswoman was robbed, tied up in bushes and forced to write a cheque.
Mark Rolle Jr was unanimously convicted of the 2022 armed robbery and kidnapping of Vashti Glinton.
She was accosted by two gunmen as she was about to open the Coral Harbour Food Store on July 22.
Glinton gave the robbers $700 cash. But that wasn’t enough to satisfy them.
They forced Glinton into her husband’s truck and drove her to the well-fields and tied her up.
Since Glinton didn’t have an ABM card, they made her write them a cheque for $3,000.
Before leaving Glinton in the bushes, Rolle cocked his gun and told her, “This is for you if the cheque doesn’t go through.”
After the robbers left, Glinton managed to free herself. She walked to the main road and got help from a passing motorist.
Later that day, police arrested Danella Mia Knowles at the Carmichael Road Branch of FirstCaribbean International Bank when she tried to cash the stolen cheque.
Knowles pleaded guilty to receiving in the middle of the trial.
They’re both in prison awaiting sentencing by Justice Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.
Carmen Brown was the prosecutor and Sonia Timothy-Knowles represented Rolle.
Copyright Bahamas Court News 2023
Armored truck employees charged with $1.4m theft
Nassau, BAHAMAS – Two employees of an armored car company are accused of stealing $1.4 million from the Bank of The Bahamas.
Oral Roberts, 34, and Akeil Holmes, 26, are charged with stealing and conspiracy to commit stealing.
Holmes faces charges of receiving of receiving and money laundering in relation to the $45,000 that was recovered from the heist.
The men were transporting $1,475,000 for the bank on November 2. They claim the theft occurred when the cash-filled car used by the company was left unattended at the airport.
However, police investigators believe the theft was an inside job.
Roberts and Holmes denied the charges at their arraignment before Magistrate Kendra Kelly.
Bail was set at $250,000 with two or three sureties and the accused will be fitted with ankle bracelets.
Their trial is set for February 20 and 21, 2024.
Man, 44, accused of sex with teen, 17
Nassau, BAHAMAS- A 44-year-old man has been charged and is accused of having sex with a 17-year-old boy.
Leo Rolle, of West Street, is charged with unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor of the same sex.
Rolle, who knows the teen’s family, allegedly sexually assaulted the minor on October 19.
The teen’s grandmother reported the incident to the police.
Rolle, otherwise called Cardo, didn’t have to enter a plea to the charge when he appeared before Senior Magistrate Carolyn Vogt-Evans.
He was denied bail since the magistrate lacks the jurisdiction to consider bail for the offense.
However, Rolle can apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
He returns to court on March 11, 2024 to receive a voluntary bill of indictment.
Copyright ©️ Bahamas Court News 2023
Man on bail gunned down leaving gym
Nassau, BAHAMAS- Police are searching for the gunmen who shot and killed a man on bail as he left the gym Monday night.
It happened around 7:40pm outside MacFit360 in the Harbour Bay Shopping Centre.
Tennison Deleveaux, who also uses the last name Chisholm, was walking to his car when the occupants of another car riddled him with gunfire.
Chisholm, 29, died on the scene.
Deleveaux,of Yamacraw Beach Estates, was shot in the arm on July 7 while at Collins Avenue and Wulff Road.
He refused to tell police who shot him and why.
Deleveaux was charged with attempted murder in 2021 and murder in 2015.