The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

A 27-year-old man who claimed he violated New Providence’s curfew because he went to get the adapter to charge his ankle bracelet was fined $500 yesterday. 

Police arrested Dwayne Kelly Jr after they found him walking in the Florida Court area without a face mask around 10.45pm on August 13.

During his hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes yesterday, Kelly Jr pleaded guilty to breaching the curfew and violating the requirement to wear a mask and was fined $500. 

The court heard officers were on mobile patrol in the area when they observed the defendant walking without a face mask. When they approached and questioned him, he said he was coming from his girlfriend’s house. He was subsequently arrested.

When given an opportunity to speak yesterday, Kelly Jr, who is currently on probation, told the magistrate he only left his home because he needed to get the adapter to charge his monitoring bracelet to avoid getting “locked up for something else more serious”. 

As a result, Magistrate Forbes fined him $300 for violating the curfew and $200 for going outdoors without a mask. Still, he warned Kelly Jr if he failed to pay the fines, he would spend one month behind bars. 

Meanwhile, Kenol Gue, 35, was charged after officers found him on East Street around 10.30pm on August 24. 

According to the prosecution, when officers questioned Gue that night, he told them he was at a party and had lost track of time. He also said he was outdoors because he was on his way to take some items to his girlfriend.

Gue pleaded guilty during his arraignment before Magistrate Forbes and was fined $450 or one month at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services. 

Officers found Kenvardo Knowles, 21, and Bryanna Ferguson, 23, on McKinney Drive around 10.25am on August 13. The court heard the defendants were arrested after officers on mobile patrol spotted the couple riding on a scooter. The court heard when officers questioned the pair that morning, Knowles said he was taking his girlfriend for a ride around the corner.

During the hearing, he told the magistrate he was an essential worker and had to report to his job for 11am, so he was trying to “hurry up” and carry Ferguson home. Yesterday, both defendants pleaded guilty to violating curfew and were each fined $450 or one month at BDCS. 

Kendise Smith,19, was charged after officers found her on Baillou Hill Road around 9pm on August 13. She pleaded guilty and was fined $300 after she told the magistrate she left home to pick up her mother who worked at Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). Smith said she did not call 311 before she left home on the night in question, because when she had tried to contact them in the past, she never got an answer. 

After fining the defendant, Magistrate Forbes warned her if she failed to pay the fine, she could risk spending a month in prison. 

Officers found Leavon Williamson, 50, on Balfour Avenue around 8.40am. According to the prosecution, during his interview with police, Williamson told officers he was headed by a friend to see if they had work that day or the day after. After pleading guilty, Williamson was fined $500 or two months behind bars.