NASSAU-A customs officer falsely accused of publishing an insulting song about former Prime Minister Perry Christie has won a $60,000 judgment.
Police held Kevin Collie for 32 hours in 2016 as they investigated him on suspicion of intentional libel.
However, the prime minister had not made a complaint when police arrested Collie.
Officers arrested Collie on his job at the Customs Marine Unit on August 11, 2016. However, they did not immediately provide the reason for his arrest. They later searched his home for stolen property, drugs and firearms.
After police released Collie another man admitted to creating the rude song.
Collie claims he still suffers from post-traumatic stress as a result of his arrest. Now, he says he’s afraid of small spaces.
In a lawsuit Collie sought damages for false imprisonment and unlawful detention.
Collie said that he supported the Progressive Liberal Party. He explained he had shared the song in a WhatsApp group to inform members about the verbal attack on their prime minister.
In a ruling delivered on June 24, Justice Diane Stewart found that police had unlawfully arrested Collie.
She wrote, “Given the evidence, there is no way they could have reasonable believed the plaintiff was actually guilty of the offence.”
At the time of Collie’s arrest, the arresting officer admitted that he only knew Collie’s name and the intended charge.
The officers admitted that they broke procedure by taking Collie straight to the Central Detective Unit after his arrest, instead of the nearest police station.
She ruled, “His unlawful arrest was excessive as he was not only unreasonably handcuffed but was unnecessarily guarded by eight to 10 officers at all times.”
Justice Stewart also awarded legal costs.
Wayne Munroe QC and Alex Morley represented Collie. Kirkland Mackey and Kenny Thompson appeared for the Crown.
NASSAU-A jilted man who wanted to get even with his married lover called her husband and told him that she had AIDS.
Godfrey Gray, 39, of Fritz Lane, had a fling with the woman in February. However, after the woman refused to leave her husband Gray began harassing her, the court heard.
He sent WhatsApp messages to the woman’s husband and relatives claiming that he had given her AIDS.
In her complaint to police, the woman said that he wanted her husband to kill her.
Gray, a funeral director, claims he has the disease. Despite this, his former fling has tested negative.
Gray pleaded guilty to charges of intentional libel and misuse of telecommunications when he appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes.
His lawyer Ian Cargill said Gray was remorseful and prepared to apologise to the woman. Cargill said Gray had no previous convictions and no pending matters.
In sentencing, Magistrate Forbes said that Gray’s actions were unacceptable.
He said the smear campaign was counterproductive as he impugned his own reputation to hurt his ex.
The court ordered Gray to apologize in writing to his victim for the libel charge by June 30. He was fined $500 for the misusing the telephone.
Failure to comply with either condition will result in a six-month prison sentence.
When police arrested Gray, they found him with a police ID. However, he did not face a charge of impersonating a policeman.
NASSAU-A Jamaican man accused of a crime spree this month that included multiple armed robberies and an attempted murder has been denied bail.
Former wanted suspect Shakeil O’neil Smith, 22, of Golden Gates, faced six counts of armed robbery and one count of attempted murder when he appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes.
Prosecutors say Smith, and another man, are responsible for the brazen mid-morning robbery of the Rubis Service Station on West Bay Street on June 9.
Security footage showed two men who posed as customers before one of the pulled a gun on cashier Wilbert Fils-Aime.
The bandits robbed the station of an undetermined amount of money before they robbed customer, Owen McCafferty of $1,500.
Around 3pm on June, prosecutors say Smith and Devon Carey held up Samuel Strachan, the owner of S &A Variety on Joe Farrington Road. They allegedly robbed Strachan of $300 and shot him in the process.
As a result, they face armed robbery and attempted murder charges. S & A Variety hasn’t reopened since the incident.
Shopkeeper Samuel Strachan was shot when two armed men robbed his store on June 10.
Additionally, Smith allegedly committed three armed robberies on June 3.
Prosecutors say Smith robbed Tray’s Convenience Store of $200 and a pack of Aspen cigarettes.
Smith and Carey allegedly robbed Ghislaine Lubin of $761.52, the property of MacGrab Convenience Store in Jubilee Gardens.
Smith allegedly robbed Nicky Georges of $955, the property of 4G’s Convenience Store.
According to Smith, he entered the country legally, but his visa expired when the country’s borders closed due to the coronavirus pandemic. He’s originally from St. Catherine’s, Jamaica.
Magistrate Forbes did not require Smith to enter pleas to the charges. His co-accused appeared was charged on June 19.
They both return to court on September 30.
Smith had evaded police since June 10. Shemore McClean, a 19-year-old Jamaican, pleaded guilty to obstruction for tipping him off about a police search. Smith called McClean while police were looking for him. McClean answered the call and warned him that police were at the home in Golden Gates. McClean paid a $500 fine to avoid spending three months in prison.
NASSAU-Police have pledged a crackdown on roadside vendors who operate without the required permits.
In a press release on Tuesday, ASP Audley Peters said it’s illegal to sell goods on the streets without approval from the commissioner of police. And those who operate without permission will be prosecuted for hawking.
People who want to sell goods need to apply at the business licensing section at Police Headquarters on East Street.
You’ll need to bring the following items to apply:
Copy of Bahamian Passport
Immigration Status for Non- Bahamians
Permission Letter for Government Property
Permission Letter for Private Property
Letter from Physical Planning (if applicable for structuring a building)
Food handlers/Health Certificate for applicants selling food
Inspection letter from Department of Environmental Health for selling food
Letter of compliance from the National Insurance Board
NASSAU-A man accused of making a false complaint to police against social commentator Omar Archer has been charged with deceit.
Prosecutors allege that on May 30 Tino Robinson, 28, of Nassau Village, falsely claimed that Archer, 48, had pulled a gun on him and beaten him up.
Robinson later returned to the station to amend his statement to one of simple assault.
That said, if anything happened between Robinson and Archer, it won’t play out in court.
That’s because Robinson formally withdrew his assault complaint against Archer during a brief court appearance before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes on June 23.
As a result, the magistrate acquitted Archer of the charge. Archer had entered a not guilty plea shortly before the withdrawal.
Still, Robinson faces the deceit of a public officer charge.
In a conciliatory gesture, Archer asked his lawyer Geoffrey Farquharson to represent Robinson.
Robinson denied the charge and returns to court for trial on November 4.
Murder victim Deano Gordon’s (inset) body removed from the scene
NASSAU-A man accused of shooting at a senior policeman as he fled a murder scene appeared in court Tuesday, June 23.
Police have charged Lorenzo Bain, 24, of St. James Road, with the murder of Deano “Twin” Gordon and the attempted murder of Superintendent Warren Johnson.
The charges stem from an April 7 shooting at Hampton Street.
Prosecutors allege that Bain and others arrived in a stolen black Toyota Passo and unleashed a barrage of gunfire, killing Gordon. Superintendent Johnson, who was in the area, heard the gunshots and got into a shootout with the killers. However, Johnson did not get hit.
Police later found the getaway car abandoned at Carib Road, off Mackey Street.
Ian Cargill represented Bain when he made his initial court appearance before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes.
The magistrate did not require Bain to enter pleas to the charges and denied bail.
However, Bain can apply for bail in the Supreme Court.
He returns to court on October 20. At that time, prosecutors will fast-track the case to the Supreme Court.
NASSAU-A $500 drug deal cost a prison officer his job and his freedom.
Delroy Barr, 23, of Fox Hill Road, was a serving officer when he brought marijuana into the maximum security block at The Bahamas Department of Corrections on June 22.
Upon arrest, Barr told officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit that a man paid him $500 to deliver under three ounces of marijuana to an unidentified inmate.
Police found the drugs hidden inside an electrical fixture box in maximum security.
Officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit found another ounce of marijuana when they searched the centre console of Barr’s car.
When they executed a search warrant on his home, officers found 9 ¾ ounces of marijuana in a bag in his linen closet.
The officers found $401 in Barr’s wallet, which they seized as the proceeds of crime.
He pleaded guilty to three separate drug charges when he appeared in court.
In sentencing Barr to 15 months, Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes said the punishment would deter like-minded individuals.
He said, “I cannot overlook the fact that you are a law enforcement officer and you have certain responsibilities in regard to that.”
The magistrate said Barr decided to engage in drug trafficking despite his responsibility to uphold the law.
Magistrate Forbes also ordered the $401 forfeited to the Crown.
NASSAU-A 21-year-old convicted of having an illegal handgun for the second time has been jailed for three years.
Police arrested David Pierre through Lily of the Valley Corner on June 19 after they caught him with a loaded Hi-Point 9mm pistol.
Officers on mobile patrol saw when Pierre, also known as David Merace, dropped the gun to the ground as they approached him, the court heard
Pierre, of Gibbs Corner, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of unlicensed firearm and ammunition at his arraignment.
The prosecutor said Pierre told the arresting officers that he had the gun for protection.
In court, Pierre provided more details. Pierre claimed he armed himself after he’d survived three previous attempts on his life after his release from prison.
A magistrate jailed him for one year in October 2017 for having an illegal handgun and ammunition.
In sentencing, Magistrate Andrew Forbes said Pierre’s previous conviction for the same offences was an aggravating factor.
However, he gave Pierre credit for cooperating with authorities and his guilty plea.
Given Pierre’s pattern of conduct, Magistrate Forbes tripled the penalty he received for his first gun crime.
