By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
THREE Freeport men were arraigned on firearm and ammunition possession charges, stealing and causing harm yesterday.
Tavon Hanna, 21, Raymond Pennington, 20, and Vandyke Barry, 18, appeared before Magistrate Laquay Laing in Freeport.
They were charged with two counts of possession of unlicensed firearms and possession of ammunition.
It is alleged that on March 11, while at Freeport, the men being concerned together were found in possession of a black Beretta 9mm without being the holder of a special licence by the appropriate licensing authority.
They were allegedly found with 15 rounds of 9mm ammunition. On count three, the accused men being concerned together were allegedly found in possession of a component part of a firearm — a magazine.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In a second matter, Pennington and Hanna were charged with causing harm, stealing, and possession of a firearm with intent to put another in fear.
It is alleged that in Freeport on March 12, the two being concerned together caused harm to Police Detective Corporal Clayton Young.
The two were also charged with stealing a black Beretta 9mm firearm, and 15 unfired bullets, together valued at over $600, the property of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.
It also alleged that the men possessed a firearm and put Det. Corporal Clayton Young in fear.
Hanna and Pennington pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ernie Wallace appeared on behalf of the three accused men.
He noted that all accused are “millennials” who are employed – two in the tourist sector in Grand Bahama and a third on a private cay. He asked the magistrate to grant them reasonable bail.
Mr Wallace asked the magistrate to not consider any conditions, such as an electronic monitoring device, that would deprive Hanna of his employment at the private cay.
“That is not the condition of bail; it is to make sure they come back to trial,” he explained.
The police prosecutor requested that the men be made to sign in at the nearest police station.
In the first matter, Magistrate Laing granted Hanna $8,000 bail with one or two sureties, and ordered that he sign in on the first Monday of the month to the Central Police Station in Freeport.
Barry and Pennington were each granted $8,000 bail with one or two sureties. They are to sign in once a week every Monday at Central Police Station.
In the second matter, Hanna was granted $6,000 bail with one surety. He was ordered to sign in every first Monday of the month at Central Police Station, Freeport.
Pennington was granted $6,000 bail and ordered to sign in once a week on Monday at the Central Police Station.
The matters were adjourned to May 22.
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