The Tribune

By RICARDO WELLS 

Tribune Staff Reporter

rwells@tribunemedia.net

THE expected arraignment of a former Urban Renewal official and three others did not go on as planned yesterday in Magistrate’s Court after the prosecution failed to present the court with a completed docket.

The circumstance meant the formal arraignment of Michelle Reckley, the former deputy director of Urban Renewal in Grand Bahama; Stephanie Collie, Kylon Vincent and Chris Symonette on various charges had to be delayed for nearly two hours yesterday. They were brought to court after 4pm.

The matter was finally put off until noon today after Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt asserted that it would be “grossly unfair” for her court and staff to proceed without a completed docket which identified all charges being brought against each accused person and completed list of witnesses. 

A crowd of supporters greeted the four as they were brought into court yesterday, including former Prime Minister Perry Christie and his wife Bernadette. In a series of statements released yesterday, Progressive Liberal Party chairman Fred Mitchell condemned the arrests as “political persecution” and likened the situation to “slave shaming” of PLP supporters.

He accused the government of seeking to “parade the individuals through the streets of Freeport, its airport and in Nassau to frighten those who support the PLP and intimidate those who wish to turn to the PLP.”

He also said: “This is extra judicial punishment. The police and the Crown have learned nothing since the debacle of the Frank Smith and Shane Gibson cases. The public servants in this matter, both the police and the prosecution lawyers, should know that they are not immune from personal suit and bankruptcy if they offend the judicial laws of our country with regard to the treatment of defendants. There will be a price to pay.”

Meanwhile, all four of the accused, through their attorneys, told the court that they were taken into custody at various points throughout the day yesterday, with three of them brought by police from Grand Bahama to face the charges. They claimed they were not fed or granted an opportunity to speak with their respective counsel.

Reckley, for her part claimed that she was arrested at her home in Grand Bahama by officers early yesterday morning. 

She said officers entered her home, made their way to her bedroom and took her into custody.

She said she requested that officers give her some time to better attire herself, but was denied.

In addition to not being fed, Reckley said she, along with Collie who was also arrested at home, were denied an opportunity to speak with their attorney while in Grand Bahama.

She alleged that two of them were taken out of a side door while their attorney waited in the foyer of the Grand Bahama Central Police Station. 

As for Vincent and Symonette, the former was arrested while heading to work, appearing yesterday with a work bag on his back and packed lunch in his possession. The latter was taken into custody in Nassau. He was reportedly assisting police up to the time of his arrest. 

The allegations incensed Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt, who immediately called on the police prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent Barrington Miller and the arresting officers to give a formal account of the defendants’ time in custody to the court. 

In response, arresting officers supplied the court with a record of detention for all four accused persons, which alleged that all were fed at some point. 

As the records were read into court, all four accused persons dismissed them as inaccurate. 

Reckley and Collie maintained that they were never fed, while Symonette claimed he was housed in a cell with two other people, who, he said, were presented with meals.

Vincent said in addition to never being given a meal, he was not permitted to eat the meal he had with him. 

ASP Miller subsequently requested a recess to speak with his superiors to determine how to proceed with the arraignment in the absence of completed dockets. 

After a break of about 20 minutes, he returned to inform the court of the Crown’s decision to have the matter put off until today. The four accused meanwhile were taken to the Cable Beach Police Station until they return to court.  

The judge ordered that they be fed and allowed to take whatever medications were needed.

Attorneys Wayne Munroe, QC, Jomo Campbell, Anthony McKinney and Owen Wells appeared for Symonette and Vincent. 

Attorneys Damian Gomez, QC, Renaldo Toote and Philip McKenzie appeared for Reckley and Collie.