The Tribune

By FARRAH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THREE American tourists who were accused of violating the COVID-19 emergency orders were discharged on Wednesday after they claimed an officer gave them permission to go on a local beach on Independence Day.

Ikrame Kanane, 25; Rana Kenawy, 21; and Mariam Mohamed Hassen, 18, made headlines after photos showing them scaling a locked fence at the entrance of Cabbage Beach on Paradise Island last Friday spread on social media.

They were also recorded on cell phone video telling a local man that they travelled to the Bahamas for the beach.

Yesterday the women, who hail from the state of Massachusetts, appeared before Deputy Chief Magistrate Andrew Forbes, charged with breaching the COVID-19 emergency powers orders for entering Cabbage Beach on July 10 without the permission of a competent authority.

After Magistrate Forbes read the particulars of the charge brought against them, one of the defendants told him they were actually given permission by an officer named "Smith" who was wearing a "brown uniform" last weekend.

"He would've said you could enter the premises?" Magistrate Forbes asked the defendants. "Yes," they replied in response.

Attorney Ian Cargill, acting as an amicus curiae — meaning he was not a party to the case but was permitted by the court to give information – also told the magistrate he was informed that a male and female officer told the tourists they would "turn their backs" while the women went on the beach that day.

As a result, Magistrate Forbes said he would dismiss the case since the women alleged they were given consent by an official. The women were subsequently discharged.

A representative from the US Embassy was also in attendance during the hearing.

Beaches were closed in New Providence, Paradise Island, Grand Bahama and surrounding cays from Thursday night until Monday morning as a measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19 during the holiday weekend.