SERIOUS crime has declined by more than a quarter this year, according to Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander, although there has been an increase in the number of rapes.

During a press conference yesterday, he revealed that up to April 23, serious crimes decreased by 28 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, but rape increased by 10 per cent. #He said there have been 22 rapes, including two cases involving tourists.  #He said 59 per cent of the victims knew the assailant, while 41 per cent did not know the attacker. #Ninety-five per cent of the victims were under 35, while 55 per cent of the suspects were under that age. # On the other hand, Commissioner Fernander said there were 41 cases of unlawful sexual intercourse, a 15 per cent decrease compared to 2022. # Commissioner Fernander said a domestic violence unit in the police force would soon open. # Meanwhile, he said crime against the person has decreased by 30 per cent. # “Crime in New Providence decreased by 30 per cent. Crime in Grand Bahama, northern Bahamas, decreased by 32 per cent. Crime in the Family Islands increased slightly from 78 cases to 83, representing a six per cent increase. And that includes the little shop breaking and housebreaking,” the commissioner said. # There have been 41 murders this year, a 16 per cent decrease from last year. # Ten men on bail are suspects in the murders, while 24 other suspects had prior police contact. # Eight victims killed were being electronically monitored, 11 victims killed were on bail, and 23 victims had prior police contact. # Commissioner Fernander said the motive for the killings included retaliation, gangs, drugs, and conflicts.  # He said armed robberies have decreased by 37 per cent. # He said 117 firearms had been taken off the streets, 176 people were arrested, and 117 were placed before the court.   # He said 1,754 rounds of ammunition were recovered. # “I also had communication with our Chief Justice, Mr Winder, and you will see as early as the third week or so in May, two magistrates will be identified just to deal with firearms matters,” he said. # The commissioner said four people are in custody for killing two brothers on Saturday. # “With respect to that matter, thus far in our investigation, we believe it was some conflict. We suspect that the two brothers were on the way home and ran into a roadblock with about three other vehicles that was blocking the path,” he said.   # “And whatever they run into and what was going on there, we are trying to determine, and there was some conflict, and they were shot. Officers (were) right on the light at Robinson and Marathon Road when they heard the shots and as they approached, the three vehicles that were blocking the path of the two victims sped off.”

During a press conference yesterday, he revealed that up to April 23, serious crimes decreased by 28 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, but rape increased by 10 per cent.

He said there have been 22 rapes, including two cases involving tourists. 

He said 59 per cent of the victims knew the assailant, while 41 per cent did not know the attacker.

Ninety-five per cent of the victims were under 35, while 55 per cent of the suspects were under that age.

On the other hand, Commissioner Fernander said there were 41 cases of unlawful sexual intercourse, a 15 per cent decrease compared to 2022.

Commissioner Fernander said a domestic violence unit in the police force would soon open.

Meanwhile, he said crime against the person has decreased by 30 per cent.

“Crime in New Providence decreased by 30 per cent. Crime in Grand Bahama, northern Bahamas, decreased by 32 per cent. Crime in the Family Islands increased slightly from 78 cases to 83, representing a six per cent increase. And that includes the little shop breaking and housebreaking,” the commissioner said.

There have been 41 murders this year, a 16 per cent decrease from last year.

Ten men on bail are suspects in the murders, while 24 other suspects had prior police contact.

Eight victims killed were being electronically monitored, 11 victims killed were on bail, and 23 victims had prior police contact.

Commissioner Fernander said the motive for the killings included retaliation, gangs, drugs, and conflicts. 

He said armed robberies have decreased by 37 per cent.

He said 117 firearms had been taken off the streets, 176 people were arrested, and 117 were placed before the court.  

He said 1,754 rounds of ammunition were recovered.

“I also had communication with our Chief Justice, Mr Winder, and you will see as early as the third week or so in May, two magistrates will be identified just to deal with firearms matters,” he said.

The commissioner said four people are in custody for killing two brothers on Saturday.

“With respect to that matter, thus far in our investigation, we believe it was some conflict. We suspect that the two brothers were on the way home and ran into a roadblock with about three other vehicles that was blocking the path,” he said.  

“And whatever they run into and what was going on there, we are trying to determine, and there was some conflict, and they were shot. Officers (were) right on the light at Robinson and Marathon Road when they heard the shots and as they approached, the three vehicles that were blocking the path of the two victims sped off.”

THE woman who alleges she was raped and assaulted by a sitting Member of Parliament is still cooperating with police to address the matter, despite Prime Minister Philip "Brave" Davis' comments on Saturday.

In his first public reaction to the case, Mr Davis initially told reporters he is waiting for police to finish their probe into the women’s claims before addressing the topic, saying: “Why would I comment on something police are investigating? I will abide and I will await the outcome of that investigation, and upon the conclusion of those investigations, then you will expect me to speak.” #However, when reporters pressed him about the steps police have taken to investigate the matter, Mr Davis said: “Someone said, and I didn’t hear the tape, but someone said that the person, the accused, are saying I don’t want to press any charges, so what is the police to do in those circumstances?” # Mr Davis’ comments puzzled many who assumed the woman had withdrawn her complaint with the police and dropped the matter. # Asked about this yesterday, the alleged victim told The Tribune: “I am continuing my pursuit of justice in this matter, and I will continue to cooperate with the police as they investigate.” # The woman’s identity is being withheld because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault.  # It is unclear as to what Mr Davis referred. # In an Eyewitness News Behind the Headlines interview with Shenique Miller, which aired last Monday, Ms Miller said to the woman: “You have said you really are not pushing for him to have to maybe be punished in terms of jail time, etc. You more or less want therapy to be mandated for him.” # To this, the alleged victim replied: “In the end, something has to be done because he needs help, and whatever route that takes, it has to be done. I didn’t do this to hurt him, I did this to help him.” # Mr Davis’ comments to reporters came as members of the Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement have been careful to give measured commentary on the matter, often stressing the severity of the allegations while insisting that due process be followed. # The alleged victim’s mother reacted bitterly to the Prime Minister’s comments yesterday. # She told The Tribune: “As a lawyer, how come you didn’t do your research before you talking? What he said is hearsay. As far as I’m concerned, they trying to confuse the people. For a lawyer, I think that’s unacceptable. He ain’ get the information together. What if it was his daughter? How would he deal with the situation?” # Reporters also asked Mr Davis on Saturday if he had received complaints in the past about the MP’s conduct with women. # He said: “No, no complaint about any.” # Mr Davis said he has spoken to the MP since the complaint was made against him. He said the police had not yet interviewed the man, whose identity The Tribune is withholding because he has not been charged with a crime. # Mr Davis said he is not concerned that the MP had not been interviewed yet, saying police “know how to do their job”. # Assistant Commissioner of Police Bernard “BK” Bonamy has said police will interview the accused “at the appropriate time”, suggesting police will gather additional information before interviewing him.

In his first public reaction to the case, Mr Davis initially told reporters he is waiting for police to finish their probe into the women’s claims before addressing the topic, saying: “Why would I comment on something police are investigating? I will abide and I will await the outcome of that investigation, and upon the conclusion of those investigations, then you will expect me to speak.”

However, when reporters pressed him about the steps police have taken to investigate the matter, Mr Davis said: “Someone said, and I didn’t hear the tape, but someone said that the person, the accused, are saying I don’t want to press any charges, so what is the police to do in those circumstances?”

Mr Davis’ comments puzzled many who assumed the woman had withdrawn her complaint with the police and dropped the matter.

Asked about this yesterday, the alleged victim told The Tribune: “I am continuing my pursuit of justice in this matter, and I will continue to cooperate with the police as they investigate.”

The woman’s identity is being withheld because she is an alleged victim of sexual assault. 

It is unclear as to what Mr Davis referred.

In an Eyewitness News Behind the Headlines interview with Shenique Miller, which aired last Monday, Ms Miller said to the woman: “You have said you really are not pushing for him to have to maybe be punished in terms of jail time, etc. You more or less want therapy to be mandated for him.”

To this, the alleged victim replied: “In the end, something has to be done because he needs help, and whatever route that takes, it has to be done. I didn’t do this to hurt him, I did this to help him.”

Mr Davis’ comments to reporters came as members of the Progressive Liberal Party and Free National Movement have been careful to give measured commentary on the matter, often stressing the severity of the allegations while insisting that due process be followed.

The alleged victim’s mother reacted bitterly to the Prime Minister’s comments yesterday.

She told The Tribune: “As a lawyer, how come you didn’t do your research before you talking? What he said is hearsay. As far as I’m concerned, they trying to confuse the people. For a lawyer, I think that’s unacceptable. He ain’ get the information together. What if it was his daughter? How would he deal with the situation?”

Reporters also asked Mr Davis on Saturday if he had received complaints in the past about the MP’s conduct with women.

He said: “No, no complaint about any.”

Mr Davis said he has spoken to the MP since the complaint was made against him. He said the police had not yet interviewed the man, whose identity The Tribune is withholding because he has not been charged with a crime.

Mr Davis said he is not concerned that the MP had not been interviewed yet, saying police “know how to do their job”.

Assistant Commissioner of Police Bernard “BK” Bonamy has said police will interview the accused “at the appropriate time”, suggesting police will gather additional information before interviewing him.

POLICE are investigating after a man was shot dead in the Seabreeze Lane area last night.

Police press liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said that, shortly before 9pm, the department received information of gunshots being heard in the area. “Officers responded and information received is that the driver of a two-door silver Honda Civic was traveling east along Seabreeze Lane when the occupants of a dark-coloured Japanese vehicle pulled alongside the vehicle,” she said. “It’s reported that two males exited the vehicle, both of whom are armed with firearms, opened fire on the victim and his vehicle, which resulted in the victim being shot multiple times. In an effort to evade the suspects, the victim vehicle crashed into a wall just behind me. He succumbed to his injuries on scene.” The victim is believed to be in his early 20s and is not known to police at this time. Asked if a firearm was discovered inside the victim’s vehicle, Skippings confirmed: “Upon examining the vehicle, we did discover a firearm inside the vehicle.” Earlier in the evening, another man was shot as he sat in his vehicle outside his place of work in the area of Quintine Alley. He was reported to be in critical condition in hospital last night.  The victim, a 34-year-old man who lives in Zirconia Street, was parked outside his workplace when a man exited a black Juke Jeep, approached the victim, produced a firearm and shot him multiple times before fleeing in an unknown direction.  The victim was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital by private vehicle.  Anyone with information about either incident is urged to call the Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2/3 or Crime Stoppers on 328-TIPS.

Police press liaison Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings said that, shortly before 9pm, the department received information of gunshots being heard in the area.

“Officers responded and information received is that the driver of a two-door silver Honda Civic was traveling east along Seabreeze Lane when the occupants of a dark-coloured Japanese vehicle pulled alongside the vehicle,” she said.

“It’s reported that two males exited the vehicle, both of whom are armed with firearms, opened fire on the victim and his vehicle, which resulted in the victim being shot multiple times. In an effort to evade the suspects, the victim vehicle crashed into a wall just behind me. He succumbed to his injuries on scene.”

The victim is believed to be in his early 20s and is not known to police at this time.

Asked if a firearm was discovered inside the victim’s vehicle, Skippings confirmed: “Upon examining the vehicle, we did discover a firearm inside the vehicle.”

Earlier in the evening, another man was shot as he sat in his vehicle outside his place of work in the area of Quintine Alley. He was reported to be in critical condition in hospital last night. 

The victim, a 34-year-old man who lives in Zirconia Street, was parked outside his workplace when a man exited a black Juke Jeep, approached the victim, produced a firearm and shot him multiple times before fleeing in an unknown direction. 

The victim was taken to Princess Margaret Hospital by private vehicle. 

Anyone with information about either incident is urged to call the Criminal Investigations Department at 502-9991/2/3 or Crime Stoppers on 328-TIPS.

Dear Editor,
It is clear that, instead of feeling acute embarrassment that Ralph Gonsalves had to point out from Trinidad the stark insanity of our bail situation in The Bahamas, some members of my profession chose instead to defend the indefensible.

Incidentally, the question of whether people charged with murder should be given bail in our current circumstances is one that any citizen of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is as qualified to answer as any judge, barrister or law lord. It is a question of societal values, not jurisprudence.

Where the jurisprudence comes in is in the implementation stage.

So when you hear lawyers citing the Privy Council as an excuse for allowing our courts to repeatedly bail people to kill or be killed, it should be understood as the insult to the intelligence of Bahamians that it is.

The Privy Council has ruled (within the context of the Bahamian constitution) that accused persons have a right to a trial within a reasonable time frame. When you consider the embarrassingly hellish conditions of our single prison and the historic sloth and inertia of our courts, this is an entirely understandable ruling.

Of course, both the condition of our prison and the speed of the trial process are the choice of our politicians. But instead of immediately reading the ruling as an indictment of our trial system and prison, which must immediately be fixed, they proceed like business as usual.

But another factor sits entirely with our judges. That is the question of judicial discretion, by which every jurist must take into account all of the circumstances (and not ONLY the issues upon which the Privy Council ruled) when deciding whether to grant bail.

In most other societies faced with the constant repetition of bail and murder that shocks Mr. Gonsalves and everyone else hearing about crime trends in The Bahamas, one of those factors — the public interest — would operate to trump the others in almost all cases.

I could be wrong, but I am not aware of a single case where a Bahamian judge denied bail on the basis of exercising this discretion and was overruled by the Privy Council.

On The Bahamas' light sentencing for gun possession (which may be an even more direct immediate cause of our high murder rate) judges and politicians are equally to blame.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham actually removed the very light four-year minimum sentence at the behest of a legal/judicial lobby arrogant enough to stray into policy issues.

And judges used the discretion that Ingraham was arrogant enough to give them to make this into one of the most gangster-friendly countries in the region - with sentences for illegal gun possession being a fraction of those in comparable jurisdictions.

So don't believe the nonsense about it being such a complex matter that only people with wigs and gowns can understand it. Gonzalves understood it perfectly well at a glance, as does almost every Bahamian who thinks about it.

In other words, the best and truest defense of our judges for both the bail and gun situation in our country is that our politicians are just as much to blame - if you call that a defense.

— Andrew Allen