ministryofnationalsecurity

Four days since his recapture, escaped inmate Winston Walker is now in maximum security, under 24-hour watch at the Bahamas Department of Corrections.

Walker who was on remand, escaped the facility on Wednesday, and after a manhunt for the 30-year-old Jamaican national, he was found on a property in the Sea Breeze area.

Walker, accused of attempted murder, armed robbery and attempted armed robbery, is now on lockdown for 24 hours,  each day of the week, to prevent another escape.

A prison officer who did not wish to be identified said Walker’s escape came after four weeks of intense training in inmate escape prevention.

But Walker escaped nonetheless when he was permitted to go to the Medical Department during which, a fight escalated in the upstairs area of the facility. Walker used the distraction to escape, jumping over a wall at the back of the prison.

According to reports, other inmates watching did not alert authorities, but only shouted, “Freedom, freedom, freedom.”

Walker escaped Wednesday afternoon and was captured at 1 am on Thursday when officers from Operation Ceasefire, responded to a call about ”a prowler” on a property in the area.

Authorities at the prison have since placed locks on the back gate of the facility as an added measure to prevent escapes.

The sex offender publicly released last week, died today in hospital following his discovery through a small road.

According to the Nassau Guardian, Alden Scott was found unresponsive on a dirt road while bleeding through the nose.

It is not known if he was attacked or the origin of his injuries.

His brother, Ronald Scott spoke to the daily saying, “The policeman took him to the hospital…Here we are [a] couple [of] days later, he’s dead.”

The big picture

Alden was released on Friday after being added to the sex offender registry. He served nine years in prison for sexual assault and was sentenced to two years in prison for caressing a girl’s thigh back in January.

Why it matters

Alden was the first person to be added to the sex offenders’ registry in a public notice. Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe warned that the public should refrain from issuing vigilante justice and cautioned that public notification will be discontinued if anyone physically assaults Alden on his release.

How the public reacts

Some social media users expressed no empathy for Alden.

Devon Rox says, “Knowing what sexual assault does to a person mentally and physically until the day they die, I have no compassion for the rapist.”

Stacey Smith says, “God doesn’t sleep.”

Negrita Valdez says she anticipated that the sex offender would be killed after release. “I knew it wasn’t going to be too long for him to enjoy his freedom…”

Monique Knowles calls for law reforms. “I don’t know why laws are not stricter. He should not have been allowed out in public after the second offense.”

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe announced the release of a sex offender in a rare move at a press conference on Friday.

Who is the sex offender?

• 55-year-old Alden Scott of Strachan Corner, off East Street .
• He was convicted of sexually assaulting a nine-year old girl in 2021 after being sentenced to prison for nine years for a similar offence.
• He is 5 feet and 5 inches with black hair, brown eyes.
• He weighs 165 lbs.

Why it matters

This is the first time a sex offender’s release from prison has been announced publicly. Public outcry has grown louder as apparent cases of sexual offences increase in the country.

State of Play

If the offender is physically assaulted while released,  Munroe warned that the public notices will be discontinued.

Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe is among the newly appointed members in Prime Minister Philip Davis’ cabinet and that’s troubling.

His appointment has raised eyebrows since Munroe is a criminal defense lawyer who has gained a reputation for protecting society’s worst.

His career has complicated matters for the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Munroe and his partner, Jomo Campbell, the new Minister of State for Legal Affairs have defended notorious gang leaders and murderers who terrorize the Bahamian society.

Criminals often obtain the services of Munroe and Campbell while being investigated by police for killings. The outcome is usually an acquittal and they are released to commit other killings. And the pattern continues.

Munroe’s name has become synonymous with the representation of hardened criminals.

He has publicly criticized the police force and its duty to carry out law and order.

However, Davis lauded Munroe at the swearing-in ceremony, saying he will “bring balance and fairness to the way the state interacts with the people.”

Munroe said he will waste no time to push for inquests into police shootings.

“A speedy system benefits not only the families who say something went wrong but officers whose careers may be languished and held up while these matters drag on and that will be a matter I will be discussing,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

Reports are that Munroe’s relationship with the Commissioner of Police Paul Rolle is quite frosty due to his prior stands and criticisms levied at the organization.

In a social media post, some members of the public have expressed concerns regarding the appointment of Munroe as National Security Minister.

Cherneka Brown said, “He helps criminals out of jail and now the minister of national security…?

Brent Gibson said, “Gangsterism, who makes a criminal lawyer, a national security minister?”

Liz Jones said, “He will bring strife and turmoil to the police force and other security forces.”

It will be interesting to see how Munroe carries out his duty as the minister with responsibility for national security, his answers for the plaguing crime problem, and whether or not he can balance his relationship and defense of criminals with the rules and laws that govern the country.

Nearly 150 people convicted of a criminal offense were granted clemency on Wednesday after the Prerogative of Mercy Committee met to review their cases.

Why it matters

The group comprised the largest that the Prerogative of Mercy Committee has ever considered.

What happened at the meeting

• The Prerogative of Mercy Committee met to review 205 requests for Clemency and two for Expungement of Records.
• As a result, 147 were approved for clemency, six pending additional reports, one record expunged and 59 deferred to the next meeting in January 2021.

What National Security Minister Marvin Dames said

The committee met earlier in the month with National Security Minister Marvin Dames who got an update on the processing of applications by young persons and first-time offenders.

“We are very excited about this Committee; hence the reason why our Government wanted to see this Committee flourish and come into being,”  Minister Dames said.  “The focus now is to ensure that Bahamians everywhere understand the objectives behind this Committee — the purpose of the Committee — especially those out there with police records.”

He added: “We are all about giving people a second chance, and that’s one of the objectives behind the work of this Committee — giving persons a second chance — and we already seeing the worth of that and the success of doing that.”

A seven-year-old boy was left dead on Sunday night in Nassau Village after a gunman fired gunshots into a group of people.

Reyes Williams was found lying face down on the ground with wounds about the body.

Police say shortly after 9 pm, they received reports of a shooting on Esmeralda Avenue and Alexander Boulevard, Nassau Village.

Reports say occupants of a blue Nissan vehicle drove up to the residence and a passenger discharged a firearm in the direction of the persons that were in front of the property.

Little Reyes was wounded by gunshots, and medical technicians announced the boy dead on the scene after an examination.

What is not known

• the identity of the shooter
• the motivation of the shooter

As investigations into this matter continue, Minister of National Security Marvin Dames called the shooter a “coward,” saying the police will find the person responsible for the murder of Reyes.