The Tribune

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

THE Grand Bahama Human Rights Association says Jamaican national Matthew Sewell, who spent nine years in and out of prison and the Detention Centre before a Supreme Court justice ruled last year that he was wrongfully held, has been arrested again and taken into police custody.

Chief Superintendent Paul Rolle, head of the Central Detective Unit, offered no comment on the matter when contacted yesterday.

The GBHRA alleged yesterday that police abused Mr Sewell.

Mr Sewell, the GBHRA’s statement said, was arrested three days ago and has not yet been charged.

“Jamaican national Matthew Sewell is again being held by police in what we believe to be a vindictive attempt by the state to intimidate him ahead of the upcoming civil case regarding his wrongful imprisonment for nearly 10 years in The Bahamas,” the group alleged.

The group further alleged that on the night of January 24, a group of officers “who failed to properly identify themselves, kicked in the door of the home he shares with his father, Clive Sewell.”

“Initially the officers claimed they were searching for narcotics, then that they were investigating an alleged sexual offence. We have been informed that Matthew was physically abused by the officers during the incident,” the group also alleged.

GBHRA President Fred Smith, who serves as Mr Sewell’s attorney, alleged that the arrest was an act of “retribution” against his client.

Mr Sewell, 27, spent nine years in and out of the prison system, however he was never tried on any of the charges he faced.

The Jamaican was first arrested in 2006 for the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl. He was in the country visiting his father at the time.

He was released on bail in 2008, but was arrested in April 2009 and charged with the alleged rape of a girlfriend.

He received bail on that charge in August 2013 only to be arrested in October of that year for allegations of housebreaking and murder.

However those charges were thrown out in 2014 when it was found that Mr Sewell was in custody when the alleged crimes occurred.

However, he was later detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.

In October 2015, Supreme Court Justice Stephen Isaacs ordered the immediate release of Mr Sewell from the detention facility.

Justice Isaacs ordered that he have his travel documents returned to him and be allowed 60 days to resolve his legal status in the Bahamas upon making an application to the Immigration Department.