PRIME Minister Philip ‘Brave' Davis and Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander. Photo: Dante Carrer
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
PRIME Minister Philip “Brave” Davis said the public is right to be concerned over the Royal Bahamas Police Force probe into allegations of corruption.
Mr Davis was speaking last night during an interview by Clint Watson on ZNS, his former press secretary and the general manager of the Broadcasting Corporation of The Bahamas - and spoke about the investigation into controversial voice notes that allegedly reveal a quid-pro-quo arrangement involving a senior police officer, a lawyer, and two deceased individuals, Michael Fox Jr and Dino Smith.
Mr Davis said: “The public is right to have their concerns. One of the critical factors of effective policing is for the public to have confidence in their police force. It is the public that you rely on for intelligence, to assist in detecting crimes, and to help prevent crime.
“And where there is that lack of trust and confidence you will have this breakdown so they are rightfully concerned about what is happening in the police force. Me too, I am concerned, but there is a process.”
Mr Davis urged the public to trust the process, saying the government is committed to restoring confidence in the police force.
He said: “We have to allow the process to be carried out. I want to assure the Bahamian people that this process will be conducted with integrity and objectivity. The results will be known, and the chips will fall where they may. Restoring public confidence in the police force is paramount, and we will work to ensure that this happens.”
Police Commissioner Clayton Fernander announced last month that no further public statements would be made about the investigation.
The investigation centres on a $1.5m airport bank car heist from November. Fox Jr and Smith were suspects but were never charged. Two other men, Oral Roberts, 34, and Akeil Holmes, 26, faced charges related to the robbery. Roberts was killed in Fox Hill last month.
Michael Johnson, head of the Central Investigations Department, is currently on garden leave while the investigation continues. Commissioner Fernander revealed the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has joined the probe, which is led by the Security and Intelligence Branch (SIB) of the police force. The Police Complaints Inspectorate, a traditionally under-resourced body, will oversee the SIB’s investigation.
Michael Fox Sr, father of Fox Jr, claimed his son gave him the voice notes with instructions to release them if he died. Fox Sr stated he did not release the tapes himself. Sandra Smith, mother of Dino Smith, confirmed her son informed her about the voice notes but did not provide them to her.
The matter has gripped the public’s attention partly because of other events that have occurred involving people connected to the voice notes. Days after Sylvens Metayer, a man living in the US who considers himself a whistleblower, seemingly released the voice notes, he was shot during a Facebook Live and survived the incident.
Comments
mandela 1 month, 2 weeks ago
The Bahamas needs a new Commissioner urgently.
ExposedU2C 1 month, 2 weeks ago
And a new PM whose character and integrity have not been compromised by his or her affiliation with a known corrupt political party like the PLP or FNM.
Sickened 1 month, 2 weeks ago
This process they always talk about... what is it exactly? Is it the process of saying absolutely nothing further on the matter after the word 'process' is used.
TalRussell 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Premiership showed up comfortably knowing he wouldn't have to deal with tough and challenging questions by the hand-picked interviewer as to the stalled CID investigation. -- After all, he was to be driven through the gates of a friendly Broadcaster. -- Known to be stacked with 'political hacks' who won't dare to ask tough and challenging questions. -- Questions that must dig much deeper than just about a matter of corruption --- Try allegations involving armed robbery, murder. -- What if anything, or nothing to it, is there to allegations of a Lawyer's involvement. -- Lately, there has been far less talk of brungin' back the Hangman's noose. -- Yes?
bahamianson 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Have a right to campaign finance laws and Freedom Of Information as well. What say you?
ExposedU2C 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Communist TalRussell says, "Hell no comrade, bite your tongue!"
ThisIsOurs 1 month, 2 weeks ago
"The investigation centres on a $1.5m airport bank car heist from November."
And that's the problem. If the voice notes are authentic they hint at a history of miscarried justice by none other than the most senior officer at CDU and involvement of a lawyer. This is way beyond one robbery.
Seriously our moral compass is gone. Where is the 18year old prison officer who Brave Davis gave the low cost home, later charged with involvement in a murder conspiracy then let out of prison on some dubious medical grounds like acne (it was not acne, I cant remember the actual diagnosis at the moment)
trueBahamian 1 month, 2 weeks ago
Lol. This guy! He laid out the typical talking points. He hasn't said anything that will ensure the integrity of this investigation. Bahamians should trust a government in a country where corruption is the order of the day. This guy is a joke. The process is already setup for them to dictate the outcome of this investigation. No one is going to jail for this as the process will result in this whole situation being swept under the rug. Does anyone realize that the lawyer at the center of all of this has slod totally out of the spotlight. The Bar Association hasn't utter a peep on the matter. Not one woes. All the hoopla after the incident at the courts and the demands for safety for their members bit no comment about the need for integrity, lawfulness of their members. This country is a sad joke.
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