Suicide autopsies released

Read storyThe cause of death in all three of the recent suicide cases was "asphyxia due to hanging", according to Chief Superintendent of Police Glen Miller.

Miller said the police are still investigating and are not ready to classify the deaths as suicides.

On January 22, Nikita Brennen was found dead in what looked like a suicide by hanging. Eight days later Leslie Campbell was found in much the same way at his home and Kimberley Miller the day after, also in her home, also apparently hanged.

-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Witnesses changing stories in court out of fear

Read storyWitnesses are telling police one thing and the courts another, according to Assistant Police Commissioner Raymond Gibson.

Gibson said the most recent example was the murder trial of Samuel "Mouche" McKenzie. The case was discharged due to lack of evidence.

Gibson said that witnesses told the court a different story than the one had told police. Theses witnesses will are now facing perjury charges.

"Action will be taken against them. When we find witnesses doing stuff like that, they must be held accountable," Gibson said.

The senior officer said three lawyers have also been questioned in connection with witness tampering.

Gibson said there are various reasons that witnesses change their story, including a fear of attack.

Leander Culmer was paralyzed in a shooting attack that came in the months after he testified against Angelo "Nasty" Brennen in 2005.

Culmer has filed a suit against the Police Force and the Office of the Attorney General accusing them of negligence.

Chief Superintendent Glenn Miller, the head of the Central Detective Unit, admitted recently that witness intimidation was a growing trend that could "bring the country to its knees" if left unchecked.

-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

US wants extradition of Canadian accused of $41 million fraud

Read storyAmerican authorities are asking The Bahamas to hand over a Canadian man accused of participating in a $41 million fraud scheme.

Dean Sheptycki appeared in court Wednesday, where Magistrate Carolita Bethel informed him that an Oklahoma court issued a warrant for his arrest on January 15.

Sheptycki was remanded to jail, where he will remain at least until Monday, when he will appear for a bail hearing.

Dean Sheptycki is one of five men accused with conspiracy to commit securities fraud; wire fraud; and money laundering.

All but one of the other four men accused in the case were arrested on Tuesday; two in Oklahoma and one in Kentucky.

-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Read more here courtesy of www.chron.com.

Corrupt policemen stop investigation of numbers houses

Read storyCorrupt police officers are stopping subordinates from investigating numbers houses and gambling according to a source within the police force.

The source told The Tribune about a recent visit to a prominent numbers house. After asking the officer what he was doing there, an employee told the policeman he had already "paid the boss".

The officer said things like that happen all the time. He said that in some cases superior officers have called junior policemen and told them not to hassle the establishment again.

Acting Commissioner Reginald Ferguson said it is important to note the difference between corruption and suggestions that the police force has agreed not to prosecute numbers houses.

Commissioner Ferguson has said he is committed to weed out corruption and prosecute officers to the full extent of the law.

-Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A03)

Police complaints unit will have no policemen in it

Read storyA proposed Police Complaints Inspectorate will have the power to request documents and call witnesses.

The group would include five people appointed by the Governor General. Except for one person, who may be a retired officer, policemen are barred from the group as is anyone who been elected to a political office within 5 years.

One group member is expected to be an attorney with at least ten years of experience.

The proposed Inspectorate is part of the Police Force Act 2009 currently being debated in the Senate.

-Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A01)

PLP Members of Parliament choose not to vote on police law

Read storyMembers of the Progressive Liberal Party chose not to participate during Wednesday's vote on the Police Force Act 2009.

Opposition Leader Perry Christie said: "We abstained because we support all of the provisions of the bill save and except the bill's clause 7, which seeks to limit the term of the commissioner of police and the deputy commissioner of police to two five-year terms.

"We believe that provision is unconstitutional. We attempted in committee to delete it from the bill, but the government refused to budge."

Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham said he does not think it should be possible to appoint someone that cannot be removed for 20 years.

Ingraham said under Bahamian law a person with the power to appoint also has the power to decide the length of the appointment.

The Prime Minister said that a person may serve as Commissioner for more than 10 years but not consecutively.

Despite the PLP MP's decision not to vote, an FNM majority meant the bill was passed and is now before the Senate.

-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

Spain said using Bahamas beach photo was not a lie

Read story

The photo composite that includes a Bahamian beach. 

Spain's tourism board admitted it used a photo of a beach in The Bahamas to encourage travel to its north-east coast.

But the move has not upset Tourism Director General Vernice Walkine, who said: "We're actually flattered because what it says is that our beaches are sort of representative of the best beaches in the world.

Dolors Batallé, the director of the Costa Brava Girona tourism board, defended their decision to use the photo. Batallé said the photo illustrated the conceptual concept that they were going for.

According to a story on the Guardian's (United Kingdom publication) website, Batelle said it would be wicked to suggest that the board had tried to hide the truth.

Costa Brava translates to 'Rugged/Wild Coast'.


-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here

-Full Story in The Tribune here (Page A06)

-Link to the story in the (UK) Guardian here

-Link to a guess where it was taken game based on the story here

Gunmen rob woman of cash/car

Read storyGRAND BAHAMA: A woman was robbed of her money and car Tuesday night.

At about 8 o'clock police were sent to the Gambler Loop area. The victim told officers that she had just gotten home when two masked men with handguns approached her.

They searched her house and left with cash and the woman's green 2000 Dodge Caravan.

-Full Story in The Nassau Guardian here