It what has become an all too common occurance, another Bahamas police officer has been charged with sexual assault.
Officer Sandor Farrington has been charged with the indecent assault of two women who were being held in the lock-up of the Central Police Station.
In an unusual move for a policeman charged with a crime, Farrington was brought to court in shackles, his hands cuffed behind his back.
In an attempt to stem the embarrassment of the incident and to be able to say that he was an “ex-officer”, the force fired Farrington the day before his court appearance. The fact is, he was an on-duty officer at the time of the alleged assaults.
Farrington appeared before Magistrate Guillimina Archer. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of inappropriately touching the women on September 25.
He was released on $6,000 bail with one surety, on the condition that he has no contact with the witnesses in the case.
His trial is scheduled to begin on March 21.
The Central Police station has been the center of controversy on several occassions, as prisoners have escaped, drugs were being used and sexual assaults have been reported.
The Officer in charge of the Central Police Station is assistant Supt Leon Bethel, whose competence has been routinely questioned by the Punch tabloid.
The force dismissed 19 officers in 2010 because of disciplinary violations. This year, several officers have been accused of sexual assault, armed robbery and bribery.
