By Gerrino J. Saunders
Journal Staff Writer

The Royal Bahamas Police Force, in particular Commissioner of Police Clayton
Fernander has been quiet over the last two weeks in regards to the ongoing
investigation into the corruption allegations against former head of the Criminal
Investigation Department (CID) Chief Superintendant Michael Johnson.
Following the release of several viral voice-recordings of a person believed to be
Johnson on the phone with known criminal Michael Fox Jr. who was a suspect in
the November 2023 $1.4 million armor truck heist at Odyssey Airport.
During the conversations Johnson was seemingly offering to remove the
individuals from the police wanted list and clear them of any charges in relation to
the robbery for a payment of $200,000.
Pressed on the matter this week the Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe
was asked to give the public an update on the investigation and his initial response
was to ask, “Telling them what exactly?”
Asked about the announced involvement of investigators from the United
Kingdom and the United States were expected to assist local police with their
investigation between August 14 th and 17 th and weather they ever came to The
Bahamas Mr. Munroe remained aloof asking reporters “what’s the importance f
that?”
He said, “Police do not involve people or provide people generally of the process
of investigations. I happen to know why.”
He explained, “I did an appeal between Eduardo Ferguson and the Crown where a
conviction was set aside because of things published in the press. I should say I am
a bit concerned about some of what I see in the press, because coming from the
background that I do, knowing arguments that can be made by persons, if you
infect the public consciousness with information; there is a case from the U.S.
Supreme court where you can’t try the man at all because of pretrial prejudice.
“Anyone who is concerned with seeing justice prevail must understand that there is
a system and there is no point giving somebody a get out of jail free card called
publicizing the matter in the press, so even the simplest lawyer would point out that you cannot find an impartial jury because the case has been flooded in the
media,” said Munroe.
Three of the suspects involved in the armor car robbery including Fox, Dino Smith
and Oral Roberts have since been killed, all ambushed and shot multiple times.
Only one suspect is alive and on bail. He recently missed a court date for the same
matter.
Johnson was subsequently stripped of his duties and placed on garden leave while
an investigation continues.
Just before this article went to print, it emerged that representatives of the Federal
Bureau of Investigation were working along with the Royal Bahamas Police Force
on the matter but there still was no word on the arrival of the UK investigators.