By: Latonya Roberts 

Journal Staff Writer 

Member of Parliament for North Abaco Kirk Cornish was cleared of his assault and death threats yesterday, after being found not guilty of two counts of rape. On Thursday, the Member of Parliament appeared in court before Justice Renea McKay and a nine-member jury.  He was represented by Defence Lawyer Tai Pinder-Mackey. The Prosecutor Timothy Bailey. 

Mr. Cornish released a statement that n which he expressed his gratitude for the level of support he received throughout his trial.

“Today, I am blessed to turn the page on what has been the most difficult chapter of my life, and I owe my deepest thanks to Almighty God for His constant faithfulness and guidance. It is only through His grace that I am here today, with the strength to move forward. To the people of North Abaco, I want you to know how deeply I appreciate your support. Your faith in me, even through these challenges, has been a profound source of strength, and I am truly humbled by the belief you’ve shown. I also wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to my family, friends and colleagues who stood by my side and offered words of encouragement and understanding. Your kindness has been a light in dark times.”

He ended his statement thanking his legal team and ready to put this entire case behind him.

“I am especially grateful to my legal team — Tai Pinder, Lilnique Murphy Grant, and Owen Wells — who represented me with the highest integrity, professionalism, and dedication. Their efforts and commitment to justice has been a true blessing, and I am forever thankful for their support and belief in me. With this chapter now behind me, I am ready to renew my commitment to the people of The Bahamas, particularly to the community of North Abaco. I will continue to work with humility, determination, and gratitude, doing all I can to serve our nation and honour the trust you have placed in me.”

Back in August of 2023 the Member of Parliament appeared before courts after a 35-year-old woman claimed that Cornish not only raped her but assaulted her as well as making death threats against her. After his appearance in court, he was charged with two counts of rape and faced two additional counts of assault. 

Although Cornish was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections, his attorney filed a motion for release and was later granted $9,000 bail in the Supreme Court by Justice Gregory Hilton with the expectation to report to a police station in Abaco once a week.