A WOMAN is pursuing legal action after a high-ranking male police officer in plain clothes allegedly punched her in the eye - leaving her unable to see through her left eye.

The punch resulted in Latique Perpall having a detached retina. It is not determined yet if she has been permanently blinded in that eye. #She identified the officer to The Tribune as an assistant superintendent of police. #The 29-year-old said her ordeal started on Friday when the officer made a lewd comment to her. #“I was walking coming from ordering my food and someone came up behind me and told me ‘Your p---- fat’.” #“I was like mister who the ---- you is and he was like ‘oh carry your fat p----’. So I start to argue back with him. I tell him ‘Oh no carry your little d---’ so he got mad because people through the corner was laughing.” # Before she went to her yard, a police truck pulled up in front of her yard. # “He point at me and say her lock her up. He say carry her to my station. They carry me to The Grove. When I went there, they start to book me. #“He said ‘ain’t I tell y’all to take her to my station’... bear in mind I still do not know who this man is. I still didn’t even know he was an officer at the time.” # “I was in handcuff. Before I got carried… he yuck me at the police truck, punch me in my eye while I was in handcuff. Then put me back in there and ram my head against the police truck door.” # She went to the hospital on Saturday and remembered being there for almost a whole day. The ambulance came for her from the hospital. # “The doctor told me there’s a hole in my retina of my eye and the bone in my eye is broken – my muscle is wrapped around the bone. Cannot see out my left eye right now. My whole face feels like it numb – swollen.” # Ms Perpall said the situation makes her feel “bad”. # “You have your boyfriend who you love. You have your family – that means you can’t walk nowhere with these man jumping in ear thinking your a prostitute just because you have a nice shape.” # National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he had not heard complaints of the matter but admitted the officer could be criminally charged if the allegations are found to be true. # He said: “If somebody makes an allegation of police defaulting in their behaviour like that, they have to make a complaint to complaints and corruption. If necessary, the complaints and corruption will show that the matter is bound to be proved – can escalate it to a criminal charge.” # In 2021, the Supreme Court awarded $82,856 in damages to Pedro Morley after a police officer punched him in his mouth, damaging eight of his teeth. # Police Constable Courtney Hall, who The Tribune understood was still on the Royal Bahamas Police Force at the time, pleaded guilty to the allegations when it came before the Police Tribunal.

The punch resulted in Latique Perpall having a detached retina. It is not determined yet if she has been permanently blinded in that eye.

She identified the officer to The Tribune as an assistant superintendent of police.

The 29-year-old said her ordeal started on Friday when the officer made a lewd comment to her.

“I was walking coming from ordering my food and someone came up behind me and told me ‘Your p---- fat’.”

“I was like mister who the ---- you is and he was like ‘oh carry your fat p----’. So I start to argue back with him. I tell him ‘Oh no carry your little d---’ so he got mad because people through the corner was laughing.”

Before she went to her yard, a police truck pulled up in front of her yard.

“He point at me and say her lock her up. He say carry her to my station. They carry me to The Grove. When I went there, they start to book me.

“He said ‘ain’t I tell y’all to take her to my station’... bear in mind I still do not know who this man is. I still didn’t even know he was an officer at the time.”

“I was in handcuff. Before I got carried… he yuck me at the police truck, punch me in my eye while I was in handcuff. Then put me back in there and ram my head against the police truck door.”

She went to the hospital on Saturday and remembered being there for almost a whole day. The ambulance came for her from the hospital.

“The doctor told me there’s a hole in my retina of my eye and the bone in my eye is broken – my muscle is wrapped around the bone. Cannot see out my left eye right now. My whole face feels like it numb – swollen.”

Ms Perpall said the situation makes her feel “bad”.

“You have your boyfriend who you love. You have your family – that means you can’t walk nowhere with these man jumping in ear thinking your a prostitute just because you have a nice shape.”

National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said he had not heard complaints of the matter but admitted the officer could be criminally charged if the allegations are found to be true.

He said: “If somebody makes an allegation of police defaulting in their behaviour like that, they have to make a complaint to complaints and corruption. If necessary, the complaints and corruption will show that the matter is bound to be proved – can escalate it to a criminal charge.”

In 2021, the Supreme Court awarded $82,856 in damages to Pedro Morley after a police officer punched him in his mouth, damaging eight of his teeth.

Police Constable Courtney Hall, who The Tribune understood was still on the Royal Bahamas Police Force at the time, pleaded guilty to the allegations when it came before the Police Tribunal.

 

Police are looking for the man responsible for the country's latest murder.

The killing happened on Saturday at 8:30 p.m. on Cowpen Road.

Police said the victim, a 34-year-old man, was outside his home when a man exited a dark colored Japanese car and shot him several times. The victim died at the scene.

The killer fled the scene.

Police are asking anyone with information on this latest murder to contact them at 911, 919 or 502-9991.

A 30-year-old man was on Monday remanded to prison after he was charged with a murder that happened earlier this month.

Lavardo Poitier stands accused of the August 4 murder of Omar Fox.

The incident happened near a bar on Rosedale Street.

Fox was arguing with another man when a gunman on the back of a truck shot him dead.

Poitier didn't have to enter a plea to the murder charge when he made his initial appearance before Acting Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley.

Poitier was denied bail as the magistrate lacks the jurisdiction to consider bail for the offense.

Poitier is next due to appear in court on November 14 to receive a voluntary bill of indictment that will fast-track the case to the Supreme Court for trial.

At the end of each month, GB News will publish a monthly police roundup, comprised of crime news throughout the northern islands, including Grand Bahama, Abaco, and Bimini.

Police investigate brawl on Abaco

Two Florida residents were arraigned on July 12 on charges connected to a brawl in Guana Cay, Abaco, between second home owners and Bahamians as seen on a video that circulated on social media. Police said their preliminary investigation revealed that two separate incidents occurred on July 9. In the first incident, around 4:30 p.m., a physical altercation erupted between two families, visiting from the United States, which resulted in three men being injured and receiving medical assistance from the local clinic. Two Floridians, described by police only as adults, were arrested.

Police said the second incident reportedly occurred after a visiting patron, after seeing the altercation between the families, attempted to leave the property, but was unable to do so as his golf cart was blocked by another cart operated by a Bahamian woman. They said that resulted in a fight which escalated with other people getting involved. Police were questioning four people, three Bahamians and an American female, in connection with the second incident, but no charges were filed up to last reports.

Human remains discovered

Police on Grand Bahama said they were investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of human remains on July 17 in the area of Pioneers Way and Rhodes Lane in Freeport. They did not release details of how the remains were discovered, except to say that sometime around 10 p.m., the severely decomposed body of an unknown male was found. Police were awaiting the results of an autopsy and had not yet made an identification.

Magistrate's Court

Frankie Seymour, 34, of Wrexham Drive, and Marcus Anthony Forbes, 25, of Pinedale, were arraigned on charges of armed robbery in the Freeport Magistrate's Court on July 17. The two were denied bail and the case was adjourned until September 29.

In other matters, Shawn Woodside, 27, of Murchison Drive, was arraigned on a burglary charge. He was denied bail and remanded in custody until a court appearance on September 9; Lawrence Arthur, 21, of Scott Avenue, was arraigned on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse. He was granted bail in the sum of $8,000 with two sureties. This matter was adjourned until August 21.

Police find illegal firearms

Police reported two discoveries of illegal firearms in abandoned buildings in Freeport.

On July 9, shortly after 2 a.m., officers, acting on a tip, searched a building in Coral Gardens and located a pistol and ammunition.

On July 14, at about 11 p.m., officers attached to the Drug Enforcement Unit, acting on a tip, searched a building in the International Bazaar and found two guns. No arrests had been made in connection with either discovery.

Police also reported that on July 5, at about 9 a.m., officers in the area of the Merport Building in Downtown Freeport approached a man they observed acting in a suspicious manner and confiscated an unlicensed firearm. The 40-year-old suspect's name was not released.

Drugs, illegal firearm, ammunition confiscated

Police said a man was arrested after officers searched a home on Sunridge Road on July 19 and found suspected marijuana and cocaine, a high-powered weapon and ammunition.

In a separate matter, on the same day, police said officers arrested a 61-year-old man following the search of an apartment on Sunridge Road where they discovered ammunition.

Drowning

A 60-year-old Montgomery, Alabama, man drowned at Paradise Cove on July 5, police said.

Police reported that the man was snorkeling with family members in the morning when he began to experience difficulties breathing. He was pulled from the water and transported to Rand Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Suspicious death

A 41-year-old Hudson Estates man was found unconscious with head injuries near the roundabout on Settlers Way at Coral Road in the early morning of July 2, police said. He was transported to hospital where he died. Police classified the death as suspicious.

American arrested on Bimini

A 61-year-old St. Augustine, Florida, man was arrested on Bimini on a charge of possession of an illegal firearm and ammunition, police said.

Police said that on July 9, officers attached to the South Bimini Police Station received a report that the items were located in the man's luggage by airport security officials.

Road checks continue

In a 24-hour period, starting at 2 a.m., Thursday, July 13, police reported that they stopped vehicles at various locations resulting in 13 arrests, 21 fixed penalty notices and 35 citations for various traffic offenses.

Police warn that the road checks will continue and drivers are reminded to ensure that their vehicles are in roadworthy condition.