Categorized | National News

Haitian Detainees Freed

A  Supreme Court Judge  has freed and granted bail to eight adults and three children who had been detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Center.

They, along with four people released unconditionally last week, bring the total to 15 individuals who have been freed from The Detention Center this month.

These include Kediesha Bent- John and her daughter Chitara John, Gerna Jean-Tinord and her daughter Gemma Joseph, Verante Mocomber and her daughter Claudia Norcin, Emmanuel Simeon, Michelot Merilien, Anselet Curry, Mirlene Corvil, Earl Burton and Fanel Gassant.

Attorney Fred Smith, President of Rights Bahamas, who represented all 15, and Attorney  Damian Gomez  and their  juniors, argued that all had been detained unlawfully and told the court that there is no law requiring people to prove they have status or to  produce documents on demand.

The Supreme Court had ordered the Department of Immigration to justify its detention of the applicants. However, they failed to respond in all cases, including  the case  of Jean Rony Jean-Charles, the missing detainee who immigration officials claim they deported to Haiti. However  the Haitian authorities say they have no record of him.

Mr. Justice Gregory Hilton gave Immigration one more opportunity to respond to the cases, which they must do by December 26th.

Along with the bail requirements, the persons are also required to check in at the department of Immigration every Wednesday until they return to court on their respective dates.

Earlier this month,  two men who filed habeas corpus  applications were released from custody by Immigration officials.

One of the men, Jamaican barber Ricardo Johnson was released from the Detention Centre the day after his habeas corpus application was filed in court.

The second, Regional Raymonvil, a 31-year-old born in the Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents, was in possession of his Haitian passport and application forms when he was arrested in Grand Bahama on November 29, his affidavit claimed.

He was released from custody the same day by  the Supreme Court.  He too is represented by Mr. Smith.

Written by Jones Bahamas

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