The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe reported a 48 percent increase in charges against people this year compared to the same period last year.

He said police arrested 13,551 people for various offences this year, an eight percent rise from 12,546 arrests during the same period in 2023. Of those arrested, 9,347 were charged in court, a 60 per cent charge rate for both major and minor crimes. He shared this statistic during a press conference at the Office of the Prime Minister on Friday.

Additionally, he reported 3,669 court returns from the Magistrates’ Courts, which included 2,605 convictions. He noted that 14 cases were discharged due to the defendant’s death, while 74 resulted in acquittals at the end of the trial. The court discharged 562 cases, and the virtual complainant withdrew in 413 cases.

 Concerns have been raised about the lengthy timelines for some criminal trials, as well as issues with alleged violent offenders being granted bail only to re-offend or be killed on the streets. 

Officials spoke about plans to expedite criminal trials and address the longstanding court backlog. This includes establishing a court backlog committee, reforming criminal case management, and assigning an additional judge to the criminal division in New Providence.

They said several factors contribute to the delays in the trial process, including access to information, the extension of legal aid assistance to unrepresented persons, and increasing challenges to confession statements.

Mr Munroe’s statistics came ahead of the launch of the “Clear, Hold, Build” initiative, a three-phase crime plan jointly led by the police and the Ministries of National Security and Education. The initiative aims to combat gangs and violent crime while enhancing public safety, with the first phase targeting the Englerston community.

Set to launch today, the initiative will last approximately three to four weeks and focus on disrupting gang operations, targeting leaders and members, and removing vehicles and abandoned buildings linked to criminal activities.

Englerston was chosen for the first round of the “Clear, Hold, Build” initiative due to recent crime trends indicating a rise in serious offences such as murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, and reports of gunshots. Notably, eight of the country’s murders this year have occurred within the Englerston community.