The Tribune

By Farrah Johnson

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Magistrate’s court sent a 20-year-old man to jail for 18 months on Friday after he pleaded guilty to causing damage to a man’s home.

Shanton Munroe, 20, appeared before Magistrate McKinney after he was accused of assaulting Kentroy Evans with a handgun on June 25. Munroe was also accused of causing $1,470 worth of damage to David Francis’ home on the same day.

During the arraignment, Munroe denied the assault charge and the matter was adjourned to September 29 for trial. However, he pleaded guilty to the count of damage and was ordered to compensate Mr Francis for the damage he did to his home.

Prosecutor Kendrick Bauld said Mr Francis told officers that he was at his residence when he heard a loud gunshot. When Mr Francis went to investigate where the sound came from, he discovered a hole in his wall that was not there before. He called the police. An investigation led to Munroe’s arrest. During an interview with police, Munroe denied the accusations.

After listening to the facts, Magistrate McKinney told Munroe that the offences of which he was accused were very serious. The Magistrate insisted that he could not just go around shooting at people or their property. He also told the accused that he was lucky he did not hurt anybody as he had shot into a wooden home. As a result, he sentenced Munroe to 18 months in prison and ordered him to compensate Mr Francis $1,470. Magistrate McKinney warned Munroe that if he failed to do so, he would spend an additional six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.