NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Prime Minister Philip Davis says police never launched an investigation into allegations that Jobeth Colebey-Davis struck an officer with her car.
During debate in the House of Assembly yesterday, the prime minister appeared to distinguish an official investigation from what he said was police merely performing an internal inquiry to determine who was telling the truth, nothing more.
Former Commissioner Paul Rolle previously told the press that the matter was under “active investigation.”
Davis’ comment came after his predecessor, Dr Hubert Minnis, said the new commissioner must update the public on the investigation.
The alleged confrontation between a police officer and Coleby-Davis, the Minister of Transport and Housing, took place during carnival festivities in May.
An officer alleged that Colebey-Davis injured his leg with her car because he refused to let her pass through an area that had been cordoned off.
Colebey-Davis has denied the allegation.
Police Staff Association Chairman Ricardo Walkes has said the officer has hired a lawyer to represent him in the matter.
Yesterday, Minnis said: “It is (important) that Commissioner Fernander update the country soon on the investigation into the member for Elizabeth. A serious allegation was leveled against the member by a police officer. The Police Staff Association issued a strong statement on the matter. Bahamians are curious as to the outcome of this investigation. It is important that it be concluded in a proper and timely fashion.
In response, Davis said: “As far as I’m aware, my inquires told me whatever he’s now promoting to be an investigation, was never an investigation. It was what I call for my purposes for the execution of my duties, was nothing more than an interior inquiry to determine if there was any truth or otherwise before they move to investigate and that’s where it lies and if he wants to know he just needs to go to the police, find out. It’s an interior inquiry, nothing more, nothing less.
Davis added: “I’ve spoken to the minister and I’m satisfied with her explanation to me and to others.”
Asked on May 25th to respond to the Coleby-Davis matter, Rolle told Eyewitness News: “I am conducting an investigation into this matter and have no further comment at this time.”
He later told the press: “I have one of the assistant commissioners conducting an investigation to find out exactly what happened so that’s a matter under active investigation.
“We’re dealing with that from within,” Rolle added. I don’t have a timeline. Whenever that is finished, I don’t know that it’s something I will be discussing with the media. I don’t know what the outcome is going to be.”
Rolle told Eyewitness News last week that he has referred the matter to the Complaints and Corruption Branch of the police force for it to be investigated.
Although matters ordinarily go to that branch only if a complaint is made against an officer, Rolle said he nonetheless sent the matter to that unit to minimize his involvement.
Meanwhile, a video showing at least part of the encounter between Colebey-Davis and the officer was circulated in May. The video shows several officers talking to a woman in a jeep. There is no evidence of an officer being struck. In one of the videos, a man shouts “assault a police officer.”
Referring to that video yesterday, Davis said: “I cannot dismiss the fact that much about what was talked about, I’m not a social media addict like others, but I was privy to a social media photograph of what’s supposed to be the incident.
“It appeared to me that a police was moving another police was perhaps chastising him from what I saw on this video and I think that’s all in the public domain so that’s why I say it was more of an interior inquiry and we wait to hear…if there was anything I would have thought that something would happen by now.”
In response to the video, Walkes said last month that it proved nothing because it only captured part of the encounter.
“The video that I have seen doesn’t prove anything,” Walkes said.
“The officer was by himself when the incident took place, not with other officers nearby. The video that’s going around shows what happened afterward, not what happened before the officer called and received backup.”
