The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

CHIEF Superintendent Clayton Fernander, acting officer-in-charge of the Central Detective Unit, yesterday denied that Royal Bahamas Police Force officers released a video showing murder victim Roberto Williams being shot dead outside his home.

In an interview with The Tribune, Chief Supt Fernander said his officers “do not operate like that” and it is more likely that the video was leaked by a private citizen.

The video – which was shared on Facebook more than 700 times and had more than 27,000 views yesterday – shows two gunmen shooting at a man who appears to be Mr Williams. The victim was shot multiple times on Tuesday morning.

In the 57-second clip – which appeared to be recorded on a cell phone from video surveillance footage outside the victim’s home – Mr Williams is seen throwing out the trash and then walking toward a blue SUV and opening the car’s door.

Seconds after the victim approached the vehicle, two armed men, one dressed in a long-sleeved stripped shirt and the other a black shirt with a white cloth tied around his head, emerged from the front of the home and began firing at the victim.

He collapsed and the men are seen running away before escaping in a white vehicle.

Chief Supt Fernander said while police do not have anyone in custody for this homicide and are actively searching for the suspects in the video, the footage was not released by the RBPF.

“We don’t work like that. We would not do that. It is still early in the investigation and we don’t have a motive at the time,” Chief Supt Fernander said.

“But we are still actively investigating. We are asking for members of the public to come forward with any information that can help in solving this case.”

Williams was on bail for murder at the time of his death.

He was the boyfriend of Khandi Gibson, the president of Families of All Murder Victims (FOAM), a non-profit organisation that aims to assist people whose relatives were murdered or were victims of crime.

Williams’ lifeless body was found lying in front of an apartment building located somewhere between Pinewood Gardens and Nassau Village, according to police, who have not yet issued an official identification.

According to court documents filed in the Office of the Attorney General, Williams – with another individual – was previously charged with murder, attempted murder, attempted armed robbery, abetment to murder and abetment to armed robbery in connection with an incident that occurred in 2013.

Williams’ death was the seventh homicide in the country in five days and the fifth in New Providence.

It took the murder total for 2015 to 107, according to The Tribune’s records.

The country’s murder count has surpassed 100 for the fifth consecutive year and is on track to pass last year’s count of 123.