The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

POLICE Commissioner Clayton Fernander said the police corruption probe triggered by leaked voice notes is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

He also confirmed foreign investigators had not arrived in the country.

During his appearance on ZNS’s new show, The Rundown, hosted by Clint Watson, Commissioner Fernander sought to clarify details after announcing last month that no further public statements would be made about the investigation.

The voice notes purport to reveal a quid-pro-quo arrangement involving a senior police officer, a lawyer, and two murdered men, Michael Fox Jr and Dino Smith.

“I know there are a lot of folks saying that the police cannot investigate the police, but we have a dedicated area focusing on investigating police officers — trained officers,” Mr Fernander said. “The public called for international assistance for fair play, and we agreed with that. What we are seeing now is that the investigators are connected and have international partners on board, including the UK and the FBI.

“We want to keep everything tight, and when the investigation is completed, the public will be fully updated. We don’t want to tamper with the investigation. We don’t investigate in the media; they don’t need to know every move we make, but the investigation is progressing very well, and a number of witnesses have been seen.”

The investigation has drawn significant public interest, particularly due to events surrounding the voice notes. Days after Sylvens Metayer, a man in the US who identifies as a whistleblower, seemingly released the voice notes, he was shot during a Facebook Live but survived.

Michael Johnson, head of the Central Investigations Department, is currently on garden leave while the investigation continues. Commissioner Fernander noted that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has joined the probe, which is being led by the Security and Intelligence Branch (SIB) of the police force. The Police Complaints Inspectorate will oversee the SIB’s investigation.

Michael Fox Sr, father of Fox Jr, claimed that his son provided him with the voice notes, instructing him to release them if he died. He stated that he did not release the tapes himself. Sandra Smith, mother of Dino Smith, confirmed that her son had informed her about the voice notes but did not provide them to her.

Last month, Commissioner Fernander indicated that members of the United Kingdom National Crime Agency were scheduled to arrive in the country on August 14 to help oversee aspects of the probe, but he confirmed yesterday that they have not yet arrived.

He said the UK partners and the FBI are in communication with local enforcement and have received documents and video tapes for assessment.

While he declined to provide a specific timeline for the investigation’s completion, he expressed confidence that updates would be forthcoming before the end of the year.

He reiterated the need for integrity within the Royal Bahamas Police Force, stating: “We will rally with members of the public to assist in building that integrity.”