Sources claim officers from DEU took possession of fewer drugs from Acklins police than they expected
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Former Police Staff Association (PSA) Chairman Assistant Superintendent Sonny Miller was charged yesterday on drug-related matters and is expected to be arraigned in the Magistrate’s Court today, according to his lawyer Bjorn Ferguson.
I would only say that the Royal Bahamas Police Force owes every citizen and resident a fair and competent investigation; not one sourced in baseless and unprovable conspiracies. They must be mindful of the irreversible reputational harm that they invite upon their organisation by operating on unprovable and unsupported theories. All senior members of their organisation should be concerned at this point — ATTORNEY BJORN FERGUSON
Ferguson said police charged Miller with three counts of conspiracy to import cocaine, three counts of conspiracy to import marijuana and one count of abetment.
He said Miller was arrested on Friday morning in Acklins and brought to the Drug Enforcement Unit in New Providence where he remained in custody up to press time.
He criticized officers’ treatment of Miller, saying senior police officers should be concerned about what it may mean for them.
ASP Miller became the Officer-in-Charge of Acklins earlier this year.
His arrest follows Tuesday’s drug bust in Acklins.
In a statement last week, police said three officers and two Colombian nationals were arrested in connection with that drug seizure.
However, a source yesterday disputed their timeline of the arrests, saying ASP Miller and the two officers were involved in helping to interdict the drugs and were not arrested until Friday.
Officers from the Drug Enforcement Unit are said to have taken possession of fewer drugs from Acklins police than they expected based on intelligence linked to their partnership with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, two sources told Eyewitness News.
Ferguson said the two other officers who were arrested along with Miller were released from custody on Saturday.
“I would only say that the Royal Bahamas Police Force owes every citizen and resident a fair and competent investigation; not one sourced in baseless and unprovable conspiracies,” he said.
“They must be mindful of the irreversible reputational harm that they invite upon their organization by operating on unprovable and unsupported theories.
“All senior members of their organization should be concerned at this point.”
“Every person arrested by the police should be afforded all the guaranteed constitutional protections. Because they are investigating police officers they are attempting to trump those constitutional guarantees with their force policies.”
Ferguson cited “interviewing the senior officer at ungodly hours in the night” and “disrespecting ASP Miller’s serious medical condition” as examples of officers trampling Miller’s rights.
Police Commissioner Paul Rolle declined to comment on the matter yesterday.
Ricardo Walkes recently succeeded Miller as executive chairman of the PSA.
