Four Bahamians who have been described as supporters of the Progressive Liberal Party spent last night in the Cells of the Cable Police Station in what one of their Attorneys described as “ a deepening of the political witch hunt.”
Early yesterday, Police in Grand Bahama arrested 50-year-old Michelle Reckley, 28-year-old Stephanie Collie and 26-year-old Kylon Vincent on charges of fraud and money laundering. In New Providence, officers arrested a 58-year-old Architect, Christopher Symonette in connection with the matter. They were supposed to be arraigned before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson in the Magistrates Court late in the afternoon, but prosecution’s documents in the matter were not ready.
The accused are to return to Court on Nassau Street at noon today.
Attorney Damien Gomez, QC told the Journal, “ We weren’t able to start. There is no witness list. To start off with, they don’t know who their accuser is. We have four people whose only offence is that they are PLP supporters.”
Mr. Gomez who is representing Reckley, Collie and Vincent said, “the whole matter is a travesty of justice. This is malicious and pure evil.”
Symonette is represented by Queen’s Counsels Anthony McKinney and Wayne Munroe.
Mrs. Reckley is a former Deputy Director of The Urban Renewal Programme in Freeport, Grand Bahama and is the wife of Assistant Commissioner of Police Clarence Reckley who is stationed in Nassau.
It is understood that when the senior Policeman learnt that his wife was arrested in Freeport, he travelled there, only to be told that she was sent to Nassau to be arraigned.
The Journal learned that when Attorney Carlson Shurland sought to see his client, Mrs. Reckley who was in custody in Freeport, he was told to have a seat. After a long wait, the accused was whisked through a back door . Later, when the lawyer inquired as to why it was taking so long to see his client, he was reportedly informed that she was sent to Nassau.
A number of supporters and family members of the accused were present in court, including former Prime Minister Perry Christie and his wife Mrs. Bernadette Christie.
