The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

THE Defence Force officer accused of pulling a gun on a woman outside a nightclub is being questioned by detectives, National Security Minister Myles LaRoda said yesterday. 

However, Mr LaRoda said no formal complaint has been made against the officer, even though the woman told The Tribune she filed a complaint with police on Tuesday.

“I followed up with the commodore of the defence force, who confirmed that the individual in the footage is a (defence) officer and that he is presently being questioned at CDU at CID. The matter is an ongoing investigation,” Mr LaRoda said. “There has not been a formal complaint made.”

Alphonique Strachan, 27, has said the officer pulled a gun on her outside 316 Bar and Lounge on Prince Charles Drive around 2am on Monday. She said she lodged a complaint with the police Complaints and Corruption Branch on Tuesday.

“There have been at least two instances where the alleged complainant have spoken with the police, but up to this point, there has not been an official complaint made against the defence force officer,” Mr LaRoda said.

It is not clear whether Ms Strachan’s complaint concerned the Defence Force officer or the police officer she accuses of taking her phone. On Monday, she told The Tribune: “I just want my phone back because I know once I get the video, I’ll be able to go to complaints and corruption.”

Mr LaRoda said officers who abuse their power would be punished, although he stressed that the vast majority of police officers conduct themselves appropriately.

“Those officers who are found to breach individuals’ rights or don’t follow the code of conduct that is expected of police officers will be dealt with according to law,” he said.

Asked about the officer Ms Strachan accuses of taking her iPhone after she recorded the confrontation, he said: “I cannot speak to those specifics, but if there was any inappropriate action that is found out in this investigation, then let the chips fall where they may.”

Mr LaRoda said police exist to serve the communities they belong to. 

“In speaking with the commissioner of police and her executive team, in the past she continued to stress that the police is all about service, and any officer found to be breaching the rights of Bahamian citizens or any member of this community whom they have been charged to protect, that officer would be dealt with,” he said.

He stopped short of saying whether the Defence Force officer would be placed on leave while the investigation continues, saying the appropriate steps would be taken once the inquiry is finished.

“Let’s just see after the inquiry. I’m sure the commodore of the Defence Force is sensitised. He’s a trained lawyer, and so public confidence must always be considered,” Mr LaRoda said. “Once the investigation is concluded, I’m sure the right steps will be taken.”

He also declined to say whether the gun was a service weapon.

“Well, as I said, if it is found once the investigation inquiry is completed, I have every confidence that the commissioner of police will deal with the matter appropriately,” he said.

Ms Strachan said the trouble began inside the club when her male friend danced with the armed man’s girlfriend. As she walked to her car, she said, the man got out of a jeep with a gun and threatened to “blow” her head and her friend’s head off.

“I couldn’t believe it,” she said. She said the confrontation left her fearing for her life.

In footage that went viral, the man is seen holding a gun as Ms Strachan says: “You pull a gun on me.” He then puts the weapon in the jeep and walks towards her.

Ms Strachan accuses a uniformed police officer on duty in the area of letting the armed man drive away without searching his jeep. She also says the officer took her iPhone after she recorded the incident and told her to collect it from the police station. As of Tuesday, it had not been returned. She recovered her recordings because her phone synced to her iPad.

Within hours of the confrontation, she tried to report it at two police stations. She said officers at the Elizabeth Estates Police Station told her the matter was outside their jurisdiction and sent her to the Fox Hill Police Station. She arrived there around 4am and played the videos for a senior officer.

She said the senior officer phoned the on-duty officer, who described the weapon as a “pumper”. According to Ms Strachan, the senior officer said the footage showed a semi-automatic gun “clear as day” and asked why the on-duty officer had not filed a report. When she asked about making a report herself, she was told the inquiries department would contact her. She said on Monday that no one had.