The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A FATHER and son were arraigned in a Magistrate’s Court yesterday over allegations that the son murdered a security guard for a local seafood processing centre last month, and the father subsequently helped assist him in evading the law.

Seantino Rolle, 22, of Coral Harbour, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson charged with the February 22 murder of David Nelson, while his 44-year-old father Sean Rolle of Lincoln Boulevard was charged with being an accessory after the fact.

The younger Rolle was also accused of robbing Gulf Stream Foods on Firetrail Road of 4,101 pounds of crawfish worth $53,313, as well as stealing some 1,298 pounds of crawfish worth $16,225 from that enterprise between January 31 and February 1.

It is also alleged he dishonestly received 75 bags of crawfish worth $39,000 belonging to Gulf Stream Foods between February 22 and March 1. He was further charged with breaking into the establishment on two separate occasions with intent to steal.

The younger Rolle was also charged with stealing a Mitsubishi truck worth $5,000 from NI Limited Water Company sometime between 8.50pm and 4.23am on February 14.

According to initial reports from police, shortly after 7am on February 22, officers were called to investigate a shop breaking and stealing complaint at a seafood processing centre on Fire Trail Road west. While searching the compound, officers discovered an unconscious male, believed to be the security guard, who had visible injuries to his body.

Paramedics were called to the scene, but were unable to resuscitate him. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A quantity of seafood was reported as being stolen from the property.

Neither man was required to enter a plea to the charges and the matter was adjourned to May 9 for service of a voluntary bill of indictment.

Before being escorted out of the courtroom, however, their attorney Jomo Campbell told the chief magistrate that Seantino Rolle was beaten about his head with a phone directory while in custody at the Central Detective Unit (CDU), and was also kicked in his back while handcuffed. Officers also allegedly sat on his stomach and placed a plastic bag over his head.

The elder Rolle made similar claims, alleging he was slapped on his head with a phone book and “fish-bagged” – had a bag placed over his head – while his hands were cuffed behind his back. He said when he managed to take his hands, still cuffed, and tear a hole in the bag to breathe, officers doubled the plastic bag.

The chief magistrate took note of their claims before remanding them to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services to await the service of their VBIs.