Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander during a press conference at the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF) Headquarters on July 22, 2024. Photo: Dante Carrer/Tribune Staff
By AVA TURNQUEST
Tribune Digital Editor
aturnquest@tribunemedia.net
POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander has advised that police will not release any further statements regarding their investigation into voice notes that allegedly captured a quid-pro-quo arrangement between suspects, a lawyer, and the former head of the Criminal Investigations Department.
His statement comes amid public calls for more details about the status of the probe.
Free National Movement chairman Dr Duane Sands recently criticised the police for their silence on the case, expressing concern that the investigation lacks the urgency and sincerity necessary to maintain public trust.
Senior members of the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency were expected to arrive in The Bahamas on August 14, but didn’t do so as scheduled.
Ahead of yesterday’s statement, police officials did not respond to requests for comments on the reason for the delay or provide a new arrival date.
“It is announced for general public information that, upon advice and in order not to compromise the investigation into the voice notes with regard to the former Head of the Criminal Investigations Department, there will be no further public statements about the investigation until the investigation is complete, except to confirm from time to time that the investigation is still ongoing,” Mr Fernander said in a statement.
He added: “The public is assured that the investigation is proceeding with integrity and dispatch.”
In a statement yesterday, National Security Minister Wayne Munroe expressed confidence in the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s Security and Intelligence unit, saying he was assured they would investigate the allegations with “probity and expedition”.
The police force was plunged into controversy in July after voice notes allegedly captured conversations involving a senior police officer, a lawyer, and two murdered gang leaders, Michael Fox Jr and Dino Smith.
The conversation on the voice notes centred around a $1.5m airport bank car heist in November.
Fox Jr and Smith were suspects in that matter but were never charged.
Two other men, Oral Roberts, 34, and Akeil Holmes, 26, were charged in connection with the robbery. Roberts was killed in the Fox Hill area last month.
Michael Johnson, CID’s former head, has taken garden leave as authorities investigate.
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