Police Prosecutors charged Mario Bannister, former Managing
Director of Clifton Heritage National Park this week for acting as an accessory to the
murder of 36-year-old Phillip Adderley, by providing a vehicle to the accused
killers.
Twenty-eight year old Christian Napier and 26-year-old Donte Riley were
charged with killing Adderley whose body was found on August 15th, 2024,
stabbed to death in water near the former Stuart Cove Dive site, with his hands
and feet bound together.
As investigations progressed into the murder of Adderley, images began to
circulate on social media with Bannister allegedly conversing with one of the
killers via WhatsApp about the brutal death of Adderley.
Prime Minister Phillip Davis released a statement on Sunday about the
termination of Bannister from his position at Clifton.
The accused appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley who denied
bail to all three defendants, and adjourned the matter to February 13th, 2024, for
the presentation of a voluntary bill of indictment.
Controversial Attorney Maria Daxon believes charges should be higher.
After Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley adjourned court proceedings, former
deputy leader of the Coalition of Independents, attorney Maria Daxon stood
outside the courts where she expressed her disappointment with the charges.
She believes the charges for Bannister should be more serious and questioned
the attorney general and police commissioner about it.
“Please tell the Bahamian people why Mr. Bannister was not charged with
aiding and abetting… I smell a rat. You want to charge Mr. Bannister with
accessory after the fact, this was planned, the conspiracy to commit murder,
what happened to that charge?”