The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Bar Association president came out in support of former Immigration Minister Elsworth Johnson after concerns Mr Johnson wrote to Chief Justice Ian Winder about a senior magistrate were leaked, allegedly prompting the judge to complain to the police.

Police then reportedly contacted Mr Johnson.

The Tribune understands that in a leaked October 6 letter to Chief Justice Winder, Mr Johnson discussed the findings of a 2020 Office of the Auditor General report on the Magistrate’s Court, which found irregularities and inconsistencies concerning two courts.

Reports about Mr Johnson’s letter later appeared on Bahamaspress.

During a press conference yesterday, Mr Parker said police became involved, allegedly after the magistrate complained to authorities.

Officers reportedly contacted Mr Johnson regarding his letter of complaint and invited him to a police station. He declined to go.

“This is not about inhibiting anyone who feels they are a victim of crime from making the appropriate representation to the appropriate authority,” Mr Parker said yesterday.

“Even though in this instance, as Mr Johnson indicated, he was not arrested, the very fact that a police officer picked up a phone to call him about something demonstrates that they cognised something and acted upon it. It is very important that police do their investigatory work and do not disturb private citizens in their ordinary lives before they come to a position that there is something worth investigating.”

“It is integral to our system of justice that no one feels intimidated in holding any officer of the court to account, be they an attorney, judicial officer, or a member of court staff.”

The 2020 auditor general report said: “Most notably, a counselling institution was used more than others for defendants who were granted conditional discharge and ordered to attend counselling at an institution of his choice for various offences.”

“Further to our interviews and information received from stakeholders, our findings revealed that they were not given options to choose the counselling institution of their choice.”

The report also noted cases where court clerks were collecting cash on behalf of a counselling institution, recommending that this cease.

It added that family members felt pressured to enrol, paying between $750 to $1500 at the end of the defendant’s court proceedings.