The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Chief Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A VETERAN defence force officer was released from duty yesterday after being charged with assaulting a group of female marine trainees while drunk and on duty at the force’s Coral Harbour base last Wednesday.

Chief Petty Officer Eric Rolle appeared before the RBDF’s court, charged with five counts of assault and one count of drunkenness.

Rolle pleaded not guilty to the offences and is due to return to court at a later date.

RBDF Commodore Floyd Moxey described Rolle as a 21-year veteran of the force and a trainee instructor.

He said Rolle would be interdicted but noted that he has the option to appeal the decision to the minister.

This means the chief petty officer will be relieved of all defence force duties and barred from entering any RBDF installation.

If the minister of national security does not accede to his request, he can take the matter to the National Security Council, which includes the prime minister.

Commodore Rolle yesterday reiterated the force’s commitment to maintaining a training environment built on discipline, professionalism and accountability.

“Where any of our training instructors fall afoul of law, we will be decisive,” he said. “We will act swiftly, and we will deal with it straight away. We will be transparent about it, because it's all about integrity, and integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is looking and that is what we in this Royal Bahamas Defense Force is striving to do.”