governmenthouse

The vandal responsible for hacking the statue of Christopher Columbus on Saturday faced a magistrate today for destruction to government property.

Thirty-seven-year-old Shervandaze Smith who has called himself ‘Michael the Arch Angel’ told Joyann Ferguson-Pratt, “There’s nothing wrong with me.”

Ferguson-Pratt debated whether or not Smith was fit to plead to the charges and eventually remanded him to the Bahamas Department of Corrections for mental evaluation since Sandilands Rehabilitation Center has a moratorium on admissions.

Smith told the court he was once a butler at a resort. He lived with his mother but vacated after she said he was mentally unstable.

Why it matters

Smith’s action of vandalizing the statue of Christopher Columbus, has stirred public debate on the removal of the colonial statue.

Though unlawful, some Bahamians took to social media to support the vandalism, decrying the atrocities of Columbus whom many have said is responsible for the demise of the indigenous people, the Arawaks.

Questions were raised on the laxity of security at Government House since Smith was not intercepted by an officer before committing the act.

State of play

The statue remains covered in a blue tarp on the premises of Government House. Prime Minister Philip Davis has spoken on the issue stating that he will not support acts of vandalism.

He said his government will decide to repair or replace the statue.

A jury acquitted a marine seaman of murder and attempted murder on Wednesday, following weeks of deliberation in the high profile case involving the killing of a petty officer at Government House in 2019.

Able Seaman Jevon Seymour left the courthouse a free man after his acquittal.

During the proceedings, Seymour took the stand maintaining he had nothing to do with the murder of his superior Petty Officer Percival Perpall who served as Commanding Officer at Government House.

Seymour claimed to have been at a party on the early morning of the incident.

The big story

On April 28, 2019, security at Government House was compromised when Perpall was shot and killed by an intruder believed to be Seymour.

Coworkers of Seymour, Marine Seamen Calvin Hanna and Ellis Rahming worked with Perpall during the shift and claimed to have seen Seymour fired his weapon at Perpall.

Both officers said Seymour also shot at them during the ordeal.

The officers said they chased Seymour, but he escaped.

Why it matters

This incident shocked the country as security at the highest office in the land was compromised.

Former Governor-General Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling was not on the property at the time of the incident.