A 46-year-old man of Foxdale was shot and killed at a nightclub in Fox Hill around 3 a.m. yesterday, police said.

Police reported that the man was involved in a physical altercation with another male who shot him.

The victim was on bail in relation to a murder charge and was being electronically monitored, according to police.

Police have repeatedly lamented the fact that many suspects accused of murder and other serious crimes, as well as murder victims, were on bail in relation to murder and other crimes at the time of the new offenses.

In January, Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander reported that most of the individuals charged with murder in 2022 were already on bail.

The bail issue and legislative changes over the years have remained controversial given that suspects have a constitutional right to be tried within a reasonable period.

The judicial system has been plagued by a chronic backlog of cases, preventing many suspects from getting early trial dates.

Many end up on bail, even if there is only an expectation that they will not be tried within a reasonable time. Police say this contributes significantly to high crime rates.

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe has repeatedly said people charged with murder should be kept in custody for their own protection.

Earlier this month, Munroe said officials were experiencing "significant gains" in the fight against crime this year due to increased resources.

He said crime in the Fox Hill Division has decreased by 42 percent.

In relation to the latest murder, police issued the usual appeal to members of the public who may have information that can assist in apprehending a suspect to contact police.

A MARINE who allegedly shot the wrong person during an argument with other men at a bar over the weekend has been arrested, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe said.

Police had reported that an argument between the marine and a group of men occurred shortly after 4am on Saturday at a bar on West Bay Street. #The victim, a club patron uninvolved in the argument, remains in the hospital. #“The investigation, I understand, is ongoing,” Mr Munroe told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “I can’t characterise any descriptions, but it is said to have arose out of some sort of a fight.” #He said officers will examine CCTV footage of the incident and will determine what to do in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. #Pressed about the conduct of off-duty officers, Mr Munroe noted a report that two off-duty police officers were shot after they heard gunshots at a party on Marshall Road over the weekend. #“They went notwithstanding that they weren’t rostered,” he said. “So an officer has a duty to continually carry out its functions of being a law enforcer. The incident with marine, I don’t know what the facts are.” #Asked if he is concerned about off-duty officers abusing their power, he said: “I don’t prejudge anything, and when something happens like that, the first thing that happens is the police becomes involved. The intelligence section of the defence force becomes involved, and they investigate it. I don’t jump to conclusions.” #Meanwhile, police said they are looking for two suspects in the Marshall Road shooting on Sunday that left Garath Pyfrom dead and two officers injured. #Police said the suspects are known to police, with one being on bail for two murders.

Police had reported that an argument between the marine and a group of men occurred shortly after 4am on Saturday at a bar on West Bay Street.

The victim, a club patron uninvolved in the argument, remains in the hospital.

“The investigation, I understand, is ongoing,” Mr Munroe told reporters before a Cabinet meeting yesterday. “I can’t characterise any descriptions, but it is said to have arose out of some sort of a fight.”

He said officers will examine CCTV footage of the incident and will determine what to do in consultation with the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Pressed about the conduct of off-duty officers, Mr Munroe noted a report that two off-duty police officers were shot after they heard gunshots at a party on Marshall Road over the weekend.

“They went notwithstanding that they weren’t rostered,” he said. “So an officer has a duty to continually carry out its functions of being a law enforcer. The incident with marine, I don’t know what the facts are.”

Asked if he is concerned about off-duty officers abusing their power, he said: “I don’t prejudge anything, and when something happens like that, the first thing that happens is the police becomes involved. The intelligence section of the defence force becomes involved, and they investigate it. I don’t jump to conclusions.”

Meanwhile, police said they are looking for two suspects in the Marshall Road shooting on Sunday that left Garath Pyfrom dead and two officers injured.

Police said the suspects are known to police, with one being on bail for two murders.

 

A 26-year-old man accused of rape was yesterday remanded into custody.

Prosecutors allege that Rahiem Colebrooke sexually assaulted a 24-year-old woman on June 16.

Colebrooke was not required to enter a plea to the charge when he appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.

He was denied bail and is scheduled to return to court on September 1 to receive a voluntary bill of indictment.

Minister of State for Social Services and Urban Development Lisa Rahming said yesterday that the government will launch a two-week gun amnesty to give people an opportunity to turn over illegal guns without fear of prosecution.

"The commissioner of police, of course, will be seeking a declaration of a two-week gun amnesty by our honorable prime minister, which will give persons in possession of illegal firearms the opportunity to surrender these weapons without jeopardy and persecution," she said during the 2023/2024 budget debate.

"Let me make it clear, there will be no reward of money to surrender any illegal firearm. You will not be paid.

"The stark reality is that there may be some among us who may have inherited a firearm from a husband, grandfather or uncle who may have had it locked in a safe and just paid no attention to it. We say, time to give it up and bring it in.

"There may also be individuals, particularly young men, living in tough communities, who are so honest, hardworking and they themselves acquired an illegal firearm with no intention of committing a criminal act but only just to protect themselves. We say it's time to give it up and bring it in.

"We are only providing an opportunity for them to surrender the firearm because we believe if just one weapon is taken off the streets, that reduces the chances of it being used in criminality."

In 2011, then-Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, faced with increasing murders and gun violence in the country, announced a 30-day gun amnesty. Police said 75 guns and 4,777 rounds of ammunition were turned over.

Rahming said the two-week amnesty will be a part of Urban Renewal's "Say No to Guns" campaign, which will be done in collaboration with the Royal Bahamas Police Force and community groups.

"We will embark on a massive campaign through the length and breadth of The Bahamas," she said.

"Projected cost for this campaign is projected at $100,000.

"The campaign will feature radio and television ads, social, rallies at schools and community walkabouts. Residents are encouraged to join in.

"We can't just sit around and say we want it to stop and do nothing. We all have to do something."

There have been more than 50 murders for the year so far.

Police seized more than 160 guns and 5,000 rounds of ammunition for the year so far.

According to Rahming, more than 200 adults and 45 juveniles have been charged in 2023, so far, with gun-related offenses. The majority of suspects were men.

In his budget speech, which he did not read, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe touched on the issue of guns.

"Firearms contribute greatly to crime and the fear of crime," the speech read.

"The police continue to note that almost 100 percent of illegal firearms originate from the US and firearms purchased legally in the United States are appearing on our streets within days of the sale. Such firearms are the main weapon of choice in the majority of homicides in The Bahamas.

"Most notably, 90 percent of all the murders were committed with firearms, while 95 percent of all armed robberies involved a firearm. There has been great concern about the increase of illicit firearms in the region, considering that most countries don't manufacture them."