The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

OUTSPOKEN self-styled activist Omar Archer Sr was yesterday convicted and sentenced to 21 days in prison by a Supreme Court judge for contemptuous remarks he previously made about the legal proceedings against former Cabinet minister Shane Gibson.

However, Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson suspended the sentence for 21 days on the condition that Archer donate $15,000 to the Cancer Society of the Bahamas in Centreville and another $6,000 to the Bahamas Red Cross on John F Kennedy Drive.

Archer must also provide six months of community service at the Eloise Penn Ward at the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre.

Additionally, Archer must also "wholly withdraw" the statements he made on social media, and make a public apology in "clear" terms by the same medium. He must also request that a copy of his apology be printed on the front pages of The Tribune, The Nassau Guardian as well as The Punch.

Archer must then provide to the court by close of business on October 18, proof that he made the donations and apologies.

Justice Grant-Thompson said her written ruling should be available by the end of the week.

However, in delivering her ruling to both Archer and his attorney, Fred Smith, QC, yesterday, she said she took into account how when he appeared before her last week, Archer immediately expressed genuine contrition for his statements and apologised at the earliest convenience.

Nonetheless, she also said that in coming to a decision on Archer's fate, she reflected on what both right and wrong-thinking persons in society would make of Archer's controversial remarks.

She noted the possibility of how Archer's comments could adversely affect persons already sceptical about the administration of justice in the country, and said Archer, given his position in society, should strive to use his platform to persuade such persons to think otherwise.

Thus, she said Archer's sentence should be one that demonstrates the importance of maintaining the integrity of the courts and simultaneously ensure respect for the judiciary.

She then convicted and sentenced Archer for the ten factors of contempt outlined in his summons.