Bahamas Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade was in the news recently, whining about how the Bahamian public does not trust and often second-guesses the police force.
The commissioner said he was “distressed and bothered” when members of the public display a lack of faith in the integrity of police as it relates to ongoing investigations.
Yet, only today, it was reported that the police will not charge the allegedly rogue officers who were thought to have stolen money that was recovered after a robbery two weeks ago.
Police investigators say they couldn’t find sufficient evidence to suggest that six officers from the notoriously corrupt Central Division stole over $8,000 of the money that was recovered from two teen robbery suspects.
The officers were taken into custody after the money they turned in did not match the amount that was reported as being stolen by the victim, businessman Carl Darville.
Two men robbed Darville of a deposit bag that contained $13,800 at the Bank of The Bahamas at Shirley and Charlotte Streets on October 23.
Within minutes, perhaps not even long enough for any of the money to be disposed of, police arrested two 19-year-old men near Peck’s Slope and Market Street.
Police also recovered a stolen deposit bag and a loaded gun in the area. However, the Nassau Guardian reported that only $6,150 was accounted for by the time the officers got back to the station.
Both the victim and the two young men who were arrested say there was more money than what was reported.
Assistant Commissioner Hulan Hanna said that the police force had no further comment on the matter. He was unable to say whether the officers had returned to work.
Meanwhile, police have charged Ross Heastie and Ryan Munnings with the $13,800 robbery and also charged them with receiving the $6,150 that was recovered. The pair are also accused of possession of an unlicensed .38 revolver and three bullets.
Heastie and Munnings pleaded not guilty to firearm and ammunition charges when they appeared before Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt. They have both been remanded to prison.
