However govt. did not file return, matter was adjourned
NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Central Detective Unit (CDU) of the Royal Bahamas Police Force was summoned to the Supreme Court on Thursday, to answer to Justice Andrew Forbes on the whereabouts of Marvin Pratt – a man who was allegedly arrested by CDU last December 2018, and later reported missing by his family.
However, representatives of the CDU failed to bring the necessary documents to court and the matter was pushed back to a later date.
Attorney Crispin Hall, who represents the family of Marvin Pratt, explained that the police failed to file their return.
“The government did not file their return as ordered by the court,” Hall explained.
He also added that counsel representing the government in the matter, Ryan Sands, said there was some misunderstanding with administration.
“Counsel for the government explained the circumstances. It was an administrative issue and the court gave them some leniency and said that he would give them additional time to file their return,” Hall said.
“And because the court did not have sight of the document and I did not have sight of the document, he’d [Justice Forbes] give me an opportunity to look at those documents and see if we need to rebut those documents or supplement any of our evidence that we have filed so far.”
Last December, Marvin Pratt’s mother, Barbara Saunders, realized that her son was missing and according to her neighbour, he was allegedly abducted by undercover officers.
Saunders told Eyewitness News that at the time of her son’s alleged arrest, she went to CDU to inquire about his whereabouts and possibly post his bail, but she was told by officers that her son was not in custody and she had to file a missing person’s report.
Saunders also revealed that an eyewitness who was in custody around the same time that Marvin was allegedly detained, claimed that he saw Marvin at CDU.
Now, nearly three months later, Saunders said she still has no idea of the whereabouts of her son.
However, Hall, the family’s attorney, said they will not give up until Marvin is found.
“Someone’s liberty we take it very seriously,” Hall said. “And when I spoke to the mother Barbara, she was very distraught about her son being picked up and being detained by authorities.
“She wanted relief as quickly as possible and now this is the first step in getting answers on that day in December when they picked him up.”
All parties are expected to return to the Supreme Court with the required documents on March 14, 2019.
