The Tribune

BY DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

FREEPORT – The family of a well-known Bahamian singer who was mistakenly shot and killed by a police officer in Abaco claims their requests for information about the incident have been ignored.

Community activist Troy Garvey, a spokesman for the family, said Tabitha Munnings and Jacqueline Curry, the sisters of Job Munnings, alias ‘‘Mr Versatile”, are desperately seeking answers about his death.

He said they travelled to Abaco on February 22, but were refused a copy of police reports concerning the shooting on January 20.

Munnings is well known for his songs, “Holding on, Stay Strong”, “When I Die”, and “Things are Gonna Change One Day”.

He moved from Grand Bahama to Abaco last year.

He was at The Mud – a Haitian community in Marsh Harbour – when he was shot by police during a special police operation. He was 34.

Mr Garvey took grave exception to the “unprofessional and disrespectful” manner in which he said the sisters were treated by a senior officer while in Abaco.

“A senior officer rudely hung the phone up on Ms Tabitha Munnings while she was trying to obtain information about the investigation. She was directed to call another officer.

“This is callous, disrespectful, and very unprofessional of a senior officer to act in this manner, especially to a family that has already been told by the Commissioner of Police that their family member was killed mistakenly.

“The family is still in mourning, and this is how you treat people? To add insult to injury, we went to the Marsh Harbour Police Station to request a police report and we were denied a copy,” said Mr Garvey.

He said the family wants “swift justice” for their loved one – recalling the slogan of one of the PLP government’s campaign promises.

“We want the Minister of National Security, Dr Bernard Nottage, and the Commissioner of Police Mr Ellison Greenslade, to know that we are going to be relentless in our efforts to bring justice to the family of Mr Munnings.

“We are calling for a swift report from the Coroners’ Court, just like the swift one that Mr John Travolta got for his son in 2009.

Mr Garvey said North Abaco MP Renardo Curry has promised the family that he would see to it that the matter receives the attention of the Prime Minister.