WHO killed Petty Officer Percival Perpall and attempted to kill two more Marines at Government House in 2019?
That is a question that remains unanswered after Able Seaman Jevon Seymour was found not guilty yesterday of murdering his superior officer. He was also cleared of trying to kill Marine Seamen Calvin Hanna and Ellis Rahming.
So that leaves us with the reality that someone was able to enter the guard room protecting the highest office in the land, shoot an officer multiple times and leave him for dead, and escape the scene, never to be held accountable in the eyes of the law.
At the time, Attorney General Carl Bethel said: “The fact that the apparent murder took place on the hallowed ground of Government House, the historical and perpetual centre of our nation state and the official residence of Her Excellency the Governor General, our head of state, and also allegedly amongst members of her security details – is also particularly disturbing.
“We trust that all relevant agencies will in due course take necessary steps to ensure that the law is upheld and that all necessary steps are taken to improve the security of Government House, if it is found that there was in fact any lapses in security.”
Police Commissioner Anthony Ferguson at the time said that the perpetrator was “pursued by alert marines, however he made good his escape”.
Able Seaman Seymour was later arrested, and charged, but he said he had been at a Valley Boys Junkanoo party before later attending a concert at Breezes resort.
So who did it? A breach of security at one of the most important locations in the country has not gone unpunished for more than two years, and this acquittal puts us back to square one in trying to establish who is responsible.
More than that, how weak was the security at the location? Why have we not been inundated with video footage and camera images showing the incident and of the perpetrator approaching and departing the scene?
Businesses up and down the land have security cameras – are Downtown stores better equipped than our highest offices?
In the wake of the killing, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames talked of the formation of a special committee to look at procedures and practices. An update on that committee’s findings and the changes made as a result would be appropriate.
As it stands, the killer who breached security to murder one officer and attempt to murder two more is no closer to being behind bars than two years ago.
There are obvious questions for the current Police Commissioner, Paul Rolle, in the wake of the not guilty verdict, but the first one is simple: What next?
Stamps a lifesaver
The president of Super Value, Rupert Roberts, has long operated a scheme at his stores where you get stamps every time you buy something. You put the stamps on a card and after a while use them to pay for some of the products you buy instead of cash. It’s a little reward for loyal customers and, as Mr Roberts pointed out yesterday, it can be a vital resource when cash is tight.
Mr Roberts has noted that he is seeing “more and more” shoppers relying on the food stamps to shop. That is now – and he has already warned that people are likely to see price increases by Christmas because of rising costs globally.
The stories his customers tell also show the situation many are experiencing in the pandemic. One talks of previously saving up the stamps for the holidays but now needing to use them more often because she and her husband don’t have as much work. Another talks of having to scrape up stamps to get milk or eggs.
There’s been a lot of talk lately about the rush of tourism bookings we are starting to experience – but not everyone is feeling the economic benefits yet.
Our neighbours, our families, our friends – many of them are still a little short, some a lot short. Perhaps if you have some stamps of your own that you’re not using, you might want to pass them on to those who do need that little extra.
Comments
John 2 years, 9 months ago
Godson 2 years, 9 months ago
So Who Did Kill Officer Perpall?
We killed Officer Perpall... Yes, we are the murderers. 'We' includes the police officers and the court system in The Bahamas that refused to allow the light of fairness and justice to shine in this dark tunnel of bigotry and hatred. Whenever one goes into the police station they are slighted because the police officer takes a slighted opinion of them.
Without a doubt, the men and women who work in our systems of justice are the largest contributors to the lawlessness we are experiencing in The Bahamas. They plant the seeds of discord and discontent so that they can all parade around the crime scene in their brown kacky clothes.
Hence, young Bahamian men and women, as well as, elderly Bahamians, see no redress for their pain and confusion and take justice into their own hands.
The double standards owing to nepotism and cronyism have gone far above the watermark, and, for far too long. And those who are in authority, are at most ostrich with their heads in some hole only deserving to be called a brown noser.
When people see that they cannot trust the systems of justice for redress to their wrong... MURDER SHE WROTE.
LET US FACE THE TRUTH.... INJUSTICE, BREATHS INJUSTICE... Not my words.
John 2 years, 9 months ago
So what conclusion can be drawn from these high profile crimes when apparently no one will be successful charged with them much less be punished? With all his bells and whistles and all the millions of the people’s money spent on crime fighting technology is tge Royal Bahamas Police Force and the full military regime in this country merely a dud? More bark and no bite? Is the ineffectiveness of the police and their ability to police and carry out proper and conclusive investigations and bring criminals to Justice the reason why the country is so rampant with crime. Who dropped the ball? Wasn’t the Defense Force also supposed to carry out an investigation into the murder of one of its senior officers? At least two forces of investigation and no one jailed? How many innocent Bahamians are in jail because of obviously sloppy and careless police work? How many other murders are unsolved because of the police’s inability to carry out effective investigations and collect conclusive and irrefutable evidence? Is the police force merely muscle men and gun toting officers who can go on the streets and bully the public and shoot and even kill when they see it necessary but otherwise the police force has no brains? No intellectual capacity? Face it: the security of one of the supposedly ‘most secure ‘ properties in The Bahamas was breeches, a senior marine killed and nobody, nobody knows behind did it? A line gunman was able to bypass armed guards and successfully eliminate his apparent, intended target? What if it was the Governor General who was being targeted ? Shouldn’t heads Rolle in both these instances? Who killed Sir Harry Oakes?
Godson 2 years, 9 months ago
After all that was said by John, if we wish to see police activation and solving conclusively of an issue, let there be one miss-payment, or, a non-payment of their monthly salary...
bahamianson 2 years, 9 months ago
Stay home in quarantine and this will not happen because when it does, this is the result. Our country is a joke. It is not real. Oh, Happy Independance, we have done well.
stislez 2 years, 9 months ago
All i kno is the best person to perform such action is a well trained person. I mean an da defense force is a highly trained organization? Asking for a friend.....
hrysippus 2 years, 9 months ago
No one has credibly claimed that the Defence Force personnel are well disciplined or well trained in their duty of standing guard duty over Government house so the slackness that allowed this tragedy to occur is systemic. What I find surprising is that the place has such an insufficiently of security cameras recording everything that goes on. The recordings may have provided valuable evidence in this case.
licks2 2 years, 9 months ago
After all is said and done. . .our justice system works!!! If we cannot convict beyond a shadow of doubt. . .LET THE MAN WALK!!! I am "OK" with the outcome. . .the case was one where we might have convicted an innocent man! Even though I have my "pet" opinion. . .as the jury as well. . .I suspect!!
Remember that justice is blind. . .she do not take into consideration our "pet sentiments". . .she would rather set a guilty man free if the evidence is not enough to convict than to convict a man who might be innocent!! It is as simple as that people!!
proudloudandfnm 2 years, 9 months ago
If Seymour had a solid alibi why was he prosecuted?
And since he had a solid alibi why was the case not investigated further?
How can a person who had a proveable alibi be prosecuted? Who is in charge of this investigation?
This is just insane. Our police force, immigration, defense force and customs need to be thoroughly investigated and cleaned up urgently.
This is ridiculous, that man should never have been charged much less prosecuted...
sheeprunner12 2 years, 9 months ago
Who collected the CID evidence and interviewed the witnesses at the scene????? .......... DF or PF????
Where is the GH camera footage??? ......... DF or PF?
Who is in charge of the DF & PF??? ......... Is he being held accountable?????
Where is Tellis Bethel, and what is he doing; besides collecting big salary????
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