Police have formally arraigned three men who they believe are responsible for two murders that occurred in Grand Bahama at the Boom Boom Room nightclub on Weddell Avenue, commonly referred to as “The Ghetto.”

Thirty-two year old Steve Derosa of Limewood Lane and 27-year-old Kendrick Colebrook of Frobisher Drive appeared before Magistrate Debbye Ferguson in Magistrate Court No. 1 for the murder of 38-year-old Sean Andrew Smith and the attempted murder of Austin Rolle.

Smith was shot to death just after 9:00 p.m. on March 31.

The pair was not required to enter a plea and a preliminary inquiry will be held on June 18 at 11:00 a.m.

The men were remanded to Her Majesty’s Prisons until then.

The men were not represented by counsel.

Meanwhile, 22-year-old Yvener Philome of South Bahamia was arraigned before Deputy Chief
Magistrate Helen Jones in Magistrate Court No. 3 for the murder of 23-year-old Leonardo Pierre.

Pierre was also killed in The Ghetto.

He was shot multiple times about the body including to the head.

Philome, who did not have an attorney, was not required to enter a plea and a preliminary inquiry will begin on June 10 at 10:00 a.m.

He was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.

Minister of National Security Dr. Bernard Nottage recently said he finds the recent spate of killings on the island of Grand Bahama “rather unusual.”

The minister said as much to reporters after being asked about the recent increase in crime on the island which recorded three homicides in less than three days, one of which included the shooting death of a 15-year-old girl.

“Grand Bahama is well policed,” Dr. Nottage said at the time.

“If you look at the nature of those incidents and where it happened, the question will arise as to whether the mere presence of police could have stopped them. The point I would like to make is that we have a well-run organisation in Grand Bahama and they will make the adjustments that are necessary to respond to the incidents that we had.”

In other news from the courts, 36-year-old Dwight Wilchombe of Bayshore Road, West End was arraigned before Magistrate Debbye Ferguson in Magistrate Court No. 1 on one count of unlawful sexual intercourse.

He pleaded not guilty to the charge and was remanded to Her Majesty’s Prison.

Wilchcombe was represented by attorney Rengin Johnson.