The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

PRISON Superintendent Elliston Rahming was yesterday ordered to appear before the Supreme Court and explain why on several occasions an inmate did not show up for proceedings.

If the court is not satisfied with Mr Rahming’s reasons, he could be held in contempt of court, said Senior Justice Jon Isaacs.

Mr Rahming is to report to the Supreme Court next Wednesday at 10am.

As Superintendent Rahming, who was to appear in court yesterday is out of the country, Acting Superintendent Stevenson Smith confirmed that a junior prison officer had mistakenly filed the inmate Ambrose Alexander Adderley Jr as Ambrose Alexander.

Mr Smith said the officer had failed to read the warrant of remand for Adderley entirely after he was admitted to the prison on January 5.

That error resulted in Adderley not appearing at the Supreme Court on three separate occasions, including August 6, 2012, September 6, 2012 and October 4, 2012. His attorney, Michael Kemp, asked whether officials could offer the accused compensation for the prison’s mistake. Mr Smith, who was examined by lawyer Kemp from the witness stand, asked if prison staff had taken the Justice’s order seriously.

“I wouldn’t like to use slackness,” said Mr Kemp, “but I can’t find another word. The Senior Justice of the Supreme Court issued a number of attendance orders, but they were treated as a joke.”

“I see it as an error,” said Mr Smith.

Acting Superintendent Smith said he could not at the time say what compensation, if any, would be offered. However, he assured Senior Justice Isaacs and Mr Kemp that the junior officer would be dealt with. He apologised on the prison’s behalf.

Mr Isaacs was not satisfied with Smith’s explanation.

Back in March, Supt Rahming was ordered before the courts by Justice Anita Allen to give an explanation for the late arrival of prisoners to the court.

When he appeared before the Justice on March 28, Supt Rahming told the Justice that neither he nor his prison staff intended to disobey the court’s orders.

He later said that a prison bus had been disabled in a traffic accident the week before on March 12.

As a result, the Prison Department asked for and received assistance from its “sister agency”, the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

However on the day in question, the police bus also broke down, causing the delay, Supt Rahming said.