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Six months after Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson was caught up in an alleged quid pro quo with two deceased gang members in circulated voice recordings, he along with well known attorney Bjorn Ferguson, and Sergeant Deangelo Rolle were charged in the Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday with crimes linked to the case.

Johnson faced these charges–conspiracy to commit bribery, abetment to stealing, receiving, and accessory after the fact. It was alleged during the arraignment that he stole $90,000, the property of the Bank of the Bahamas

Ferguson was charged with accessory after the fact, while Rolle was charged with abetment to stealing.

Here is a timeline of events before charges were filed:

July 2-3

Sylvers Metayer, a Bahamian man based in the United States, known to have a gripe with the Royal Bahamas Police Force, shared voice notes with alleged voices of Chief Superintendent Michael Johnson, officer-in-charge of the Criminal Investigation Department; a lawyer and two other men believed to be two gang members–Dino Smith and Michael Fox Jr, engaged in conversations about some type of financial exchange after a 1.4m heist.

Smith was killed in January and Fox was killed in May of 2024.

Another man connected to the heist was also later killed.

July 5

Free National Movement Chairman Duane Sands called for an investigation into the matter by international law enforcement partners– Scotland Yard or the FBI to oversee the investigation.

Police Commissioner at the time, Clayton Fernander appointed Chief Superintendent of Police Anthon Rahming as CID’s head in place of Johnson, promising an investigation into the matter led by the Security and Intelligence Branch (SIB) of the police force.

July 8

Fernander said Johnson was placed on ‘garden leave’ as authorities investigated the voice notes.

August 22

Fernander directed that police will no longer release statements regarding their investigation as public cries loudened for more details about the probe’s status.

Free National Movement Chairman Duane Sands soon criticized the police for their silence, calling for urgency to restore public trust.

August 28

Fernander announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) had joined the probe.

The investigators were expected to arrive on August 14 but did not.

September 19

Fernander promised that the probe would be completed by the end of 2024.

“I know there are a lot of folks saying that the police cannot investigate the police, but we have a dedicated area focusing on investigating police officers — trained officers,” Fernander said.

September 25

A document was shared on social media announcing that Johnson was transferred from CID to the organization’s headquarters in the office of the commissioner, as a formality.

Chief Superintendent Chrislyn Skippings clarified that Johnson remained on leave.

“It’s a standard procedure,” she insisted.

December 31

Johnson resigned from the Royal Bahamas Police Force, as announced in a press release, which added that other officers were implicated in the investigation but their matter would be handed to the deputy commissioner of police with responsibility for discipline.

January 2, 2025

Fernander who was the out-going commissioner since announcing his resignation earlier in December, announced on the sidelines of the New Year’s Junkanoo Parade that police arrested and interviewed Johnson and Ferguson and that the men were released pending further inquiries as his office awaited the Director of Public Prosecutions’ review and recommendation in the matter.

“We took our time, the investigators took their time, and that’s how we got to where we are today,” Fernander said.

January 7, 2025

Johnson, attorney Bjorn Ferguson, and Sergeant Deangelo Rolle were charged in the Magistrates Court and were not required to enter pleas.

Johnson’s bail was set at $25,000 while Ferguson and Rolle’s bails were set at $7,500.

They will return to court on January 30.

A 27-year old man was charged with the killing of Abaco resident Angelita Pritchard.

Barry Swain appeared before Senior Magistrate Derence Rolle-Davis to face manslaughter charges. It is alleged he killed 35-year-old Prichard during a domestic dispute.

Swain, represented by Christina Galanos, was not required to enter a plea to the charge. He was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services.

Police found the mother of seven on December 26th, unresponsive in a bedroom of her home and have since listed the cause of death as asphyxia.

In a social media post, Pritchard and Swain publicly declared their love for each other. Pritchard said Swain was her “gift from God.” He returns called Pritchard, his “queen.”

Swain returns to court on March 3.

Since the killing, appeals were made to assist the children of the woman. Baby items, canned goods, and clothing can be donated to the family through the Evergreen Mortuary Services. Monetary donations can be made to Joicelin Rusell at Commonwealth Bank, account number 7044103271.

A 52-year-old woman pleaded guilty to stealing a 250-gallon water storage tank from a national park.

Celia Lynes stole the tank from Edmund Spencer Moxey Youth and Community Center on September 11th.  Lynes initially denied the act while her companion 45-year-old Kevin Cooper pleaded guilty, fined $1500, and placed on probation for two years.

But after seven weeks at the Bahamas Department of Corrections, Lynes pleaded guilty to the offense.

The court heard that Lynes and Cooper arrived at the park in a red Passo, parked, and walked to the western side of the facility. They detached the tank and strapped it to the roof of their vehicle, then drove off.

An employee observing the act called the police and officers were soon hot on their heels. The suspects’ vehicle was stopped and they were arrested.

Lynes was given two years probation and given 9 months in jail if she failed to be of good behavior.