Police Commissioner Shanta Knowles
By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS
Tribune Staff Reporter
lmunnings@tribunemedia.net
POLICE Commissioner Shanta Knowles yesterday defended the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s public reporting practices after officials failed to include an alleged rape involving a US tourist in recent official crime reports.
“We don’t hold information back from the public,” she said yesterday. “We make sure that everything that comes to our attention that is needed to be known to the public is known to the public.”
The comments came a day after a 25-year-old was charged with raping a 23-year-old American woman near Junkanoo Beach on April 1. The incident was first reported by The Tribune last Thursday but had not appeared in the police’s daily crime summaries.
Commissioner Knowles said the matter was not immediately reported to police and the alleged victim had travelled to another island before officers could take a statement.
“I cannot say why it was not in the crime report, but what I can say to you is that the matter was not initially reported right after the incident occurred,” she said. “We know that the victim had left the country, well had left this island and was at another cruise port in The Bahamas, and we were able to catch up with that person and take the report.”
Prosecutors allege that a man had non-consensual sexual intercourse with the woman near the popular beach. He appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley and was not required to enter a plea. A voluntary bill of indictment is scheduled for July 24.
The alleged incident came just days after the US Department of State updated its travel advisory for The Bahamas, citing multiple sexual assault reports involving watercraft vendors. The advisory warned that jet ski operators are poorly regulated and prohibited US government personnel from using such services on New Providence and Paradise Island.
Commissioner Knowles said police investigate all sexual assault complaints seriously, regardless of nationality.
“Whether it’s a tourist or Bahamian or a native of our island, none is held in a higher standard than the other,” she said.
Comments
bogart 1 week, 1 day ago
Entry level average jet skis having speeds of 40 - 50 mph and other models having speeds in excess of 70 mph should be banned from densely crowded or any nearby areas where people are likely to be frequenting.
It is quite obvious if it is not controllable by the authorities then in the first instance these machines should not be allowed.
On the matter of the alleged rape of our visitor and guest to our beloved Bahamaland, it is extremely sad and horrifying and the fullest extent of the laws apply if the accused is found by Court of Law to be found guilty.
JokeyJack 1 week ago
Notice how quickly this story appeared; to displace the Bahamians claiming asylum story. LOL
mandela 1 week ago
People in the tourism sector representing the Bahamas and caught raping, harming, our guest, our money, should be treated like traitors and be severely punished, just like a police officer, when they kill us unjustifiably.
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