The Tribune

By AVA TURNQUEST

Tribune Chief Reporter

aturnquest@tribunemedia.net

FORMER Bahamas Bar Association President Elsworth Johnson yesterday called on Prime Minister Perry Christie, Attorney General Allyson Maynard-Gibson, and Commissioner of Police Ellison Greenslade to immediately address allegations of harassment and intimidation of a Supreme Court judge.

Insisting that the allegations suggest that constitutional democracy is under threat, Mr Johnson also urged the Bar Association, the judiciary, and any concerned lawyer to take a vocal stance in demanding a full investigation.

He was referring to allegations that billionaire Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard and his attorney, former Mount Moriah MP Keod Smith, were involved in efforts to intimidate Supreme Court Justice Indra Charles and harass her son.

The allegations were confirmed by Mr Nygard’s former public relations officer Earlin Williams in an exclusive interview with The Tribune, and followed an investigation by this newspaper into a report published in the St Lucia Today newspaper last year.

“It leaves a lot to be desired and I think no less a person than the prime minister of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas must not just say something but demonstrate the necessary intestinal fortitude to do something,” Mr Johnson told The Tribune.

“Do you know what it is to terrorise a lady and her child and her family? This is frightening and let me tell you something, just like others I have concerns for my safety too, these people ain’t easy. I have concerns for my safety too with them, they’re vicious and if somebody having regard to what judicial independence means, to upholding the laws, just think about the laws they go to arbitrate on murders, rapes, civil matters.”

He added: “When you see someone can attack that, they can attack the very right to life, they will attack the very right to conscience, to freedom of movement, they have no conscience and I assign them to the category of a reprobate.”

Mr Johnson also said: “ . . . The honourable attorney general should speak loud to this. (Mrs Maynard-Gibson) she is the leader of the Bar, she is to come to the defense of the judiciary and she cannot sit silent, and if she decides to sit silent in these circumstances I call on her to resign.”

The association’s new president, Nicholas Mosko, declined comment on the matter yesterday.

Allegations

Mr Williams, a self-proclaimed member of the “Nygard/Keod Smith public relations machine” from 2009 to 2016, told The Tribune that he was aware of Mr Smith’s travel to St Lucia, and also confirmed a Whatsapp message purported to be from Mr Smith, which identified Justice Charles’ son.

His claims come amid speculation over whether Justice Charles has recused herself from the “murder for hire” case filed against Mr Nygard and Mr Smith by several Save The Bays directors and independent plaintiff, Rev CB Moss last year.

Justice Charles did not preside over the case on February 16, a date she set to hear motions for an injunction, a strike out action and the addition of an affidavit.

Up to press time, Mrs Maynard-Gibson had not responded to questions placed by this newspaper asking for confirmation of Justice Charles’ recusal.

The St Lucia newspaper alleged that a Bahamian lawyer, who they identified as Keod Smith, accompanied by a Bahamian police officer, were conducting investigations into the background of a Supreme Court judge and paying officials to supply them with private information.

Since then, The Tribune has seen copies of St Lucia immigration entry documentation for Mr Smith on September 9, 2016, and Royal Bahamas Police Force officer Camala McCoy, who entered the country a day earlier.

Commissioner Greenslade has previously denied reports that a senior police officer had been sent to St Lucia to assist in the purported probe, and at the time, said that he had ordered an investigation into the matter. Commissioner Greenslade did not respond to messages placed by The Tribune for an update on those investigations up to press time.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson said the allegations deserve answers from public officials.

“Whether or not (the police officer) was off-duty, the question that the Bahamian public want to know is whether he went there in his capacity as a police officer, and whether or not he was off-duty, there are things you can do if you look at the Police Act, while you are off-duty that can undermine the duties of the commissioner of the police.

“So (Commissioner Greenslade) he has to investigate, he has to bring a report. He is the provost marshal of the court, he carries out the duties of the court. He can’t sit idly by and comfortably say he was off duty when another country, another group are not only reporting on it but calling on the St Lucian government to distance itself from it, and to go to CARICOM and make certain of it and saying that they’re not going to be a part of this witch hunt.”

Mr Johnson is currently representing Mr Williams in his libel case, in which Mr Williams is being sued by Mr Nygard’s Lyford Cay neighbour and longtime adversary Louis Bacon. Mr Williams was previously represented by Mr Smith, and claims that he severed ties with both Mr Nygard and Mr Smith in November 2015 after he was advised by Mr Nygard, through his legal counsel, to “come clean”.

In June 2012, Mr Bacon brought defamation proceedings against Jones Communications Limited for the articles published in the Bahama Journal.

During the proceedings, Wendell Jones on behalf of his newspaper, confirmed in a statement in open court that Earlin Williams was the author of the articles: ‘Louis Bacon’s Conspiracy and Corruption at Lyford Cay’; ‘Louis Bacon Hedges a Bad Bet as FNM Trounced in Elections’ and ‘Louis Bacon Continues to Outrun Law.’

According to a Supreme Court writ dated July 11, 2012, Mr Bacon is seeking an injunction against Mr Williams for four articles posted on BahamasPress.com: “Louis Bacon’s Conspiracy and Corruption at Lyford Cay,” “Smuggling, How a Billionaire Plays Nintendo - Meet the Three Louis Bacons,” “Louis Bacon hedges a bad bet in the Bahamas as ruling FNM trounced in General Elections” and “Will Louis Bacon move operations to TI as dragnet closes on him in the Bahamas?”

Mr Williams has an ownership stake in A Culture Shock Media Group, which produces the Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture’s Bahamas Ambassador Magazine “BAAM”.

In 2012, he was listed as a consultant for the Bahamas Information Services’ Special Projects Unit, according to Director General Luther Smith, who said the unit was comprised of Elcott Coleby, deputy director, Mr Williams, and Latonya Symonette, special assistant.

It was unclear up to press time whether Mr Williams was still attached to the government agency, and in what capacity.

Mr Johnson stepped down as bar president last month to pursue a political career as the Free National Movement’s standard-bearer for Yamacraw.

When asked to respond to likely criticism that his interest was motivated by a political or personal agenda, he maintained that his commitment to the country and the integrity of the judicial system mattered more than political allegiance.

“My commitment to my country transcends political alliance and that is what we need in this country,” he said.

“Our commitment to the three arms of government especially to the judiciary should transcend our political allegiance, if I find that (FNM Leader) Dr Minnis or anybody else tries to undermine that institution that guarantees stability in this country and protection for all regardless of origin, sex, religion, conscious, and all those different things, I will distance myself from them.”