Bahamas Court News

Police have to date arrested 20 men for curfew violations and pledge to continue enforcement, as The Bahamas tries to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.

As of Tuesday, March 24, there were five confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the country and no reported deaths.

In an effort to prevent the disease from spiralling out of control like it has in some countries, Prime Minister Hubert Minnis imposed a curfew on March 20 that is set to end on March 31.

The nationwide curfew was initially set from 9pm to 5am. However, Prime Minister Minnis imposed a 24-hour curfew as of March 24 with certain exceptions.

Citizens should only be on the streets for essential travel to the doctor, grocery store, pharmacy or to refuel.

These businesses must ensure that staff and customers are at least six feet from other.

Anyone who must leave home during the curfew should inform police by calling 311 to avoid arrest.

Curfew violators ordered to pay fines to avoid jail

Eleven men were fined for curfew violations today after they appeared before magistrates in New providence and in Abaco.

Police arrested Darcy Ellis, 22, and Chilico Knowles, 21, after they were found on the streets of New Providence during the curfew period of 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt ordered both men to pay $600 fines to avoid 10 days in prison.

Police picked up Ellis near Potter’s Cay Dock on March 22 at 10:35pm.

Ellis claimed that he had walked to the Central Police Station to make a report and was headed to his home at Sears Hill when police stopped him.

However, police records did not confirm his account.

Officers on patrol saw Knowles driving on St. Barts Road around 10:25 p.m. on March 23.

Police beckoned him to stop. But he sped off instead.

The ensuing chase ended when Ellis turned into his yard at Windward Isles Road.

Knowles said he had fallen asleep at a friend’s home and was in a hurry to head home.

He didn’t hear the sirens or see the patrol car’s flashing lights.

Ferguson-Pratt told both men, “You are jeopardizing your health and the health of others. Please stay at home.”

A third man, Mel’shaddi Newry, 26, denied violating the curfew on March 23 at 11:30 p.m.

He was granted $1,000 bail and returns to court for trial on September 2.

Police allege that Newry, of Windward Isles Road, was found in the street.

Ten accused of violating curfew in Abaco

In Abaco, nine men were fined $1,500 each for violating the curfew.

Antonio Brown, Vandyke Stuart, Leoland Storr, Vandyke Stuart Jr. , Donald John, Darren McIntosh, Oniel Archer, Calis Meuze and Jermaine Missick must pay their fines by March 27 to avoid serving prison sentences of three months.

Commar Richards was also accused of violating his curfew but remanded until immigration could check his status in the country.

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Nassau, BAHAMAS-Five men have admitted to violating a nationwide curfew aimed at promoting social distancing to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The violators appeared in various courts in the country on March 23.

The curfew that began on March 20 and ends on March 31 requires all residents, except those that work in essential services, to be at home from 9pm to 5am.

Curfew violators face a maximum of 18 months in prison and/ or a $10,000 fine.

None of the violators received the maximum penalties when they appeared in court

In fact, Daavan Curry, 25, of Pine Yard was not punished at all.

That’s because Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes gave Curry an absolute discharge after he explained that he was taking his diabetic mother medicine.

Police arrested Curry at 9:45pm on Yamacraw Road.

Also appearing before Forbes was Dennis Lynes. The 34-year-old of Gamble Heights took police on a highspeed chase after he was found on the street around 9:35pm on Friday.

Lynes was in his car at Montell Heights. He was arrested at Market Street following the pursuit.

Forbes fined him $250 or two months in prison.

Over on Grand Bahama, police charged three men with violating the curfew.

Carl Johnson, 31, was sentenced to one year in prison. Adam Outten, 22, was fined $500 and James Toussaint, 34, was fined $1,000 or three months in prison.

Curfew extended to 24 hours, beaches closed

Prime Minister Hubert Minnis ordered the closures of beaches and parks effective March 24 until March 31. The move came after scores of residents ignored advice to maintain social distancing by crowding public spaces.

The curfew has been extended to 24 hours and residents are prohibited from leaving their homes with limited exceptions.

The reasons residents can leave home are to shop for basic necessities, daily exercise for a maximum of 90 minutes, medical services and essential work.
The prime minister said supermarkets will be encouraged to designate a specific shopping time for seniors, from 9am to 11am daily.

Stores that remain open must ensure that social distancing is enforced by limiting the number of people inside.

Owners must place distance markers six feet apart, indicating where each customer must stand on a line at a check out point. The markers are to also be placed outside the stores where customers must stand while they wait to enter.

Additionally, docks are closed to commercial activity. This includes the selling of fish and conch.

What’s more, all airports are closed to incoming international passenger flights. All seaports are closed to regional and international seafaring and private boating. No visitor is permitted to enter and disembark for any reason, including transiting through The Bahamas. Public service workers must work from home unless they have been designated essential workers.

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