The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

A YOUNG woman who accused immigration officers of physically assaulting her twice last year was taken into custody yesterday morning after another confrontation with officials.

Dahene Nonord, a 19-year-old born in the Bahamas to Haitian parents, was taken to the Carmichael Road Police Station following an altercation with police officers at her home off Gladstone Road, The Tribune was told.

In an interview with The Tribune, Dahene’s mother Lumame Nonord alleged that police officers “dragged her daughter and kicked her repeatedly in the face” before also allegedly assaulting her son, Geno, who she said tried to help her daughter.

However, Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Dean said Ms Nonord and her brother were arrested for obstruction, assault of a police officer and resisting arrest. ACP Dean said officers went to execute a warrant for a man who lived on the same compound as Ms Nonord when it was claimed that she and other members of the community “attacked the officers”.

Ms Nonord was arraigned in Magistrate’s Court last December with assaulting an immigration officer and obstruction. At that time it was alleged that she assaulted an immigration officer during a routine apprehension exercise. She pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on bail. Her trial in that matter is continuing.

Earlier that month, she accused immigration officers of assault after they picked her up during a routine exercise on Cowpen Road and took her to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

Yesterday, Mrs Nonord said her daughter was just standing outside her home when two police officers verbally assaulted her before allegedly “beating her up and taking her into custody.”

“There was an incident with two males and a female in our community Monday night. The officers came Tuesday morning to find out what happened. Dahene was in the yard when five male officers and a female officer came in a bus,” she said.

“The female officer told Dahene to go in the house, then one of the male officers called her bad names and then called her stupid. Dahene told them she was not stupid and two of the officers starting hitting her and kicking her in the face. The other officers just stood there and did nothing.” Mrs Nonord claimed that they pulled a gun out and dragged her in the bus.

“My son came to see what was going on and asked them what they were doing and they beat him too. Then they took all two of them to the police station. They will not let us see them and they won’t take Dahene to the hospital even though she was beaten so bad. She can barely stand up. She is not a troublesome girl and she doesn’t bother anyone,” said her mother.

Grand Bahama Human Rights Association (GBHRA) President Fred Smith, who is representing Ms Nonord in her assault case, said he will sue the government and the officers involved in the altercation as soon as possible.

“This is the fourth time that she has (alleged abuse) by police and or immigration,” Mr Smith, QC, said. “She is a courageous young lady who has been speaking up for her rights. She is a shining beacon of a person brave enough to face the authorities to protect her rights and an example for others.”