Coleby-Davis denies social media claims and calls for probe

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

ENERGY Minister JoBeth Coleby-Davis filed a complaint with police against social media personality Brittany Harris, accusing her of criminal libel.

In a letter to Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander, Ms Coleby-Davis’s attorney, Owen Wells, said Ms Harris defamed his client by falsely accusing her in a recent social media post of engaging in corrupt practices while in office and participating in extramarital affairs.

Mr Wells said her claims were untrue and fabricated to tarnish Ms Coleby-Davis’s reputation and expose her to public ridicule.

Ms Harris made the allegations on her Facebook page called “Island Tea”, claiming she would release voice notes from a friend of Mrs Coleby-Davis that would confirm the accusations.

“The false accusations aren’t only damaging to our client personally and professionally but have the potential to cause irreparable harm to her standing as a public servant and the integrity of the office she holds,” Mr Wells wrote.

“The malicious nature of the post coupled with its wide dissemination on a public forum like Facebook warrants immediate and serious attention.”

Mr Wells said that, given the severity of the allegations, damage had already been inflicted.

He called on police to investigate and pursue criminal libel charges.

“We trust that the necessary action will be taken to ensure that the individual responsible is held accountable under the laws of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas,” he said.

Commissioner Fernander could not be reached for comment yesterday.