Inspection of the infamous ‘Lorequin’ vessel on Monday was viewed as a pivotal point in the commission of inquiry into drugs that went missing during an arrest by Defence Force marines almost 12 years ago.
The inspection came hours before the Commission of Inquiry was adjourned to April 8.
The hour-long visit to the Defence Force base in Coral Harbour came two weeks after the commencement of the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the Lorequin and its crew, detention of the boat, along with the removal and storage of the cocaine that was seized.
Lawyers, members of the media and crewmen of HMBS Inagua accompanied Commissioners, Retired Justice Stanley Moore, Anglican Archbishop Drexel Gomez and former Deputy Commissioner of Police Sir Albert Miller to the base.
It is alleged that some of the 193 packages of cocaine went missing following the arrest of the Dominicans and seizure of the drugs by crewmen of the Inagua in June 1992. The commission is attempting to find out exactly when the drugs mysteriously disappeared and who may have been involved.
The three-man commission and lawyers involved in the inquiry followed Defence Force Commodore Davey Rolle aboard the 42-foot Lorequin which is in an obvious state of decay.
While onboard, they got a close-up look of the engine area where a false compartment was built to reportedly conceal the packages of cocaine transported to Nassau by the two Dominicans.
The Lorequin was then taken out of the waters by a travelift and placed on four logs on the dock, before its eroding hull was sprayed with a power hose, which was covered with moss.
During inspection of the boat, a member of the Defence Force pointed out that both sides of the stern and left side of the bow were cut after the boat arrived at the base to ensure that there were not any other false compartments.
When the commission reconvened Monday afternoon in the former Ministry of Health, Victoria Gardens, Commissioner Moore announced that the proceedings will be adjourned due to prior commitments he and Archbishop Gomez have.
Commissioner Moore is expected to leave for Johannesburg, South Africa today and return on April 7.
Chief of the Justice College Cecille van Riet invited Mr. Moore to the official opening of the Constitutional Court building in Johannesburg and to a judicial conference where he will be making numerous presentations.
The commission will resume April 8 for a one-day session, just before Commissioner Gomez leaves for Nairobi, Kenya for a Bishops conference between April 9 through 17.
The commission is scheduled to reconvene on April 19.
Mr. Moore assured that the work of the commission will not come to a halt during the adjournment.
He said during the sessions so far, there have been a number of indications that there needs to be further investigations.
“Those investigations will now continue by the two investigators who are now onboard,” Mr. Moore said.
During the adjournment, transcripts of the proceedings, which are now in the draft stage, will be completed.
Lead Counsel Dennis Morrison put Sir Albert Miller on notice that should any emergency applications arise, they would be made through him.
“As we take the adjournment, I could assure you that from our side, the work will continue and I hope when we resume in April we will go straight on to the finish line,” Mr. Morrison said.
When the commission resumes, Defence Force Staff Intelligence Officer Edison Rolle and former Sub Lieutenant Anthony Taylor will be called to testify.
The Lorequin incident resurfaced in December 2002 at a U.S/Bahamas Joint Task Force Meeting when then U.S Ambassador J. Richard Blankenship disclosed that he felt the investigation was “poorly handled” and seemed to have institutional and political motives.
Mr. Blankenship said the incident was never satisfactorily investigated, pointing out that many of the persons allegedly involved are still on the Defence Force.
He said independent authorities must fully investigate and resolve the allegations involving the Police and Defence forces or neither will be accepted by the United States as a full partner in the war on drugs.
Hadassah Hall, The Bahama Journal
