BY: LATONYA ROBERTS
Journal Staff Writer

The government and the justice system of The Bahamas are allowing people that
commit gruesome acts of crime to get a mere slap on the wrist, according to Leader
of the Opposition (Free National Movement) Michael Pintard.
Pintard’s comments came outside of the House of Assembly when media asked for
his thoughts about the five-year sentence of a 37 year old father who molested his
three-year old twin daughters.
He said, “so if in fact that is the time that will be given for conviction that is a
monumental topic in the country/ we have to find a way to send the strongest
possible message to the country that when you violate our children there is a price
to pay. That is part of our concern that we have about our system as it is presently
configured.”
Calling out the Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe, and the Attorney
General Ryan Pinder, Pintard said they only know how to defend the assailants.
“One of the concerns that we have by having an attorney general, my view is that
he is somebody that left the public service, gone into private practice, after having
not done very well there he sought to come back and occupy such a pivotal
position. The minister of national security continues to demonstrate that he remains
primarily a defense attorney rather than someone who is an advocate for people
who are suffering on this road.”
Giving his opinion on the matter, chaplain of the House of Assembly, Bishop
Valentino Williams said that the sentence does not fit the crime.
“I personally think that a five year sentence was too short for the depth of the
crime that he has done. He should face a very harsh penalty, much harsher than
what’s been levied to him.”
Bishop Williams said that in addition to the father’s five year sentence, the 37year
old should seek psychiatric help.
“I also feel in addition to the harsh penalty he also needs some level of psychiatric
treatment and counselling because clearly there are some dysfunctions with him
and of course within that particular family”, he said.

Last Friday, the 16year old daughter of the convicted father, testified that she
witnessed her father touch the three year old twins inappropriately in July 2024.
The 16year old stated that the twins slept in the same bed as the father, and she
slept in a bed adjacent to them. After she awoke in the middle of the night, she
looked over to witness her naked father touching the twins.
The father was charged on February 7th, 2025 and will remain in prison for a
minimum of five years.
To protect the victims, the identity of the father remains officially concealed,
although on various social media platforms his identify has been revealed.