The police commissioner has recommended that charges be brought against the high ranking police officer who authorised the now infamous “jailhouse wedding” earlier this month which turned out to be a public relations nightmare for the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBPF).
Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade confirmed Tuesday that an internal investigation into the matter found that the senior officer in charge of the Central Police Station at the time was entirely to blame for the incident.
Initially, four officers – a corporal, two constables and an assistant superintendent of police were placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation headed by an assistant commissioner of police.
At the time, Commissioner Greenslade warned that depending on the results of that probe, the officers could face possible termination.
“I am pleased to tell you that the investigation is now complete,” Commissioner Greenslade said yesterday. “I have firmly recommended charges against the assistant superintendent concerned.
The paper work is on its way to the secretary of the Cabinet and it will follow a procedural route through the governor general and certainly the Public Service Commission.
“That is the extent to which I wish to comment. The other three officers will return to duty as I have found no culpability on their part.”
Back on March 8, Kendrick Tinker, 35, was in police custody at the Central Police Station where he was being held after allegedly being found in possession of $50,000 worth of marijuana during a drug bust at Potter’s Cay Dock a day earlier.
Tinker’s arrest and detainment occurred during the same weekend that he was expected to tie the knot and permission was somehow granted allowing the detained suspect to marry his then fiancé at the police station in front of both officers and guests of the couple.
“This commissioner is totally embarrassed by what took place,” Commissioner Greenslade said at an emergency press conference March 10, two days after the wedding and on the morning news of the scandal broke. “This should never have happened and I am still trying to come to grips with what happened.”
The commissioner at the time revealed that a request had been made to him asking that the wedding be allowed to take place, but he insisted that that request was denied.
The focus then became who authorised the ceremony.
Later reports surfaced that National Security State Minister Keith Bell may have given approval for the ceremony, but he too shot down those assertions, refusing to comment any further on the matter.
Tinker and his co accused Devon Rolle, 28, and Elvardo Farrington, 37, were arrested around 7:00 a.m. on March 7 as officers were conducting a routine patrol along Potter’s Cay Dock.
There officer’s allegedly observed a mail boat employee hand a man a package which the man subsequently placed into his car.
Upon inspection of the car, officers found that package contained suspected marijuana.
The men were later charged with possession of 50 pounds of dangerous drugs with the intent to supply and a count of possession for that charge.
Tinker alone faced a separate charge of possession of forged currency for allegedly being found in possession of 33 US $20 bills all with the same serial number.
All three men were eventually granted bail by Senior Supreme Court Justice Jon Isaacs and are due back in court on June 5.
