By LEANDRA ROLLE
Tribune Staff Reporter
lrolle@tribunemedia.net
A 27-year-old man who pleaded guilty to violating New Providence’s curfew was sent to prison yesterday because he could not pay a $750 fine.
Shaquille Williams appeared before Magistrate Cara Turnquest-Deveaux charged with curfew violation after police found him on Faith Avenue around 3pm on August 18.
Prosecutor Waynette McPhee told the court officers were on patrol when they observed a man walking on Faith Avenue. Sgt Mcphee said officers then questioned Williams about his reasons for being on the street, but he could not give “a satisfactory reason”.
He was taken to a nearby station where he admitted the offence. St Mcphee said Williams later claimed to police he left his house because he was going for food and water.
During yesterday’s hearing, Williams agreed with the facts read by the prosecution and pleaded guilty to the charge.
Magistrate Turnquest-Deveaux subsequently ordered Williams to pay $750 or six months at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.
However, in response Williams said: “I can’t pay that. I could do the time starting today.”
Kemual Stewart, 30, also appeared in Magistrates Court yesterday. Stuart was charged in early May with assaulting his neighbour with a cutlass and threatening to take his life as well as violating the lockdown on May 2. According to the prosecution, Stewart’s neighbour, Cornell Forbes, reported to police that around 11am that day Stewart approached him with a cutlass and threatened to “chap and murder him”.
As a result, Stewart was arrested and taken to the East Street South Police Station. During an interview with police, Stewart admitted to being in an argument with the complainant and a woman over parking on his lawn.
He was remanded to prison on May 4 after pleading guilty to the three charges. Yesterday, Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis sentenced Stewart to prison for 18 months for assault with a dangerous instrument, another 18 months for threats of death and four months for violating the lockdown.
Those sentences were ordered to run concurrently beginning from the day Stewart was remanded in May.
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