By FARRAH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
fjohnson@tribunemedia.net
FORTY-FOUR Cubans who denied damaging more than $18,000 worth of infrastructure at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre were yesterday remanded to prison leading up to their three-day trial.
The group of men, who range in age from 18 to 50-years-old, appeared before Magistrate Shaka Serville, accused of intentionally and unlawfully causing $3,400 worth of damage to a fence, $8,400 worth of damage to bathroom plumbing fixtures and $6,249 worth of damage to 20 under bed storage units at the Detention Centre.
The prosecution said all of the items, which were the property of the Bahamas Immigration Department, had a combined value of $18,049.60. They also alleged the accused men destroyed the items sometime between October 1 and November 2.
Due to social distancing protocols, the 44 men were not arraigned in a court, but rather made to stand in three lines behind the Magistrate’s Court complex. However, one man was allowed to have a seat and given a bottle of water, after he indicated that he was suffering from high blood pressure and was not feeling well.
During the hearing, all of the men pleaded not guilty after electing to have their matter heard in the Magistrate’s Court. Several of them could also be seen shaking their heads in disagreement and laughing as the charges were read.
Speaking through a Spanish interpreter, a few others also raised concerns about retaining legal counsel.
After accepting their pleas, Magistrate Serville adjourned the Cubans’ case to November 16-18 for trial.
After the prosecution objected to them being released on bail, the magistrate told the accused it was his understanding that none of them had legal status in the country and could potentially be flight risks. He said in view of this fact, the court was going to exercise its discretion and remand them to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until their trial.
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