The Tribune

By KHRISNA VIRGIL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kvirgil@tribunemedia.net

HUMAN rights lawyer Fred Smith, QC, plans to sue the government for defamation after he was charged by authorities with causing harm to another man.

Declaring his innocence yesterday, Fred Smith insisted that he was the victim in a near death incident and that the government of the Bahamas through the Attorney General’s office has done him a grave injustice.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Smith said the charge will have long-standing effects on his more than 30-year career.

“I am not a criminal,” Mr Smith said, “and I have never done anything intentionally to harm anyone. This is a huge embarrassment to me.

“I cannot understand how the police abdicated their responsibility to objectively determine who should be arrested, charged and prosecuted for what happened at Jaws Beach. I remain incredulous.

“Everyone has seen the video of Keod Smith removing the piece of steal used to break my window at Jaws Beach. I was not a criminal. I will be vindicated.”

“The police have a duty to be balanced, but charging both of us is wrong. This is not some type of balancing exercise between PLP and FNM supporters.” He said it was Keod Smith who should be charged, because, he claimed, it was he who “incited riot and harm upon me.”

Fred Smith is the latest to be charged in connection with an argument between himself and former Mount Moriah MP Keod at Jaws Beach in April.

Keod Smith was charged by police on Monday with assault and damage.

Speaking to members of the press yesterday, Keod Smith said the charges were “bogus, ridiculous.”

Both Fred Smith and Keod Smith claim that this newest twist in the Jaws Beach incident is a political ploy to deter their respective organisations – The Coalition to Protect Clifton Bay and Save Clifton Again – from its mandate.

In that regard, both men have said they will not be discouraged or discontinue the fight for what each man believes is right.

Fred Smith said: “This is a tactic to bring pressure on me by the government because my organisation is pressuring the them, Peter Nygard and Keod Smith. This is nothing more than a transparent victimisation.

“But I want Prime Minister Perry Christie to know that I am ready to fight against prime ministers who do not respect or want to protect the environment.”

Fred Smith turned himself into the Cable Beach police station at noon to face the charge. He will be arraigned on Friday in Magistrate’s court.

Keod Smith was due to be arraigned in Magistrates Court yesterday, however, his police bail was extended and a new date was set for Friday.