NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Amid calls for his resignation following the indictment of two senior law enforcement officers from the Royal Bahamas Police Force and Defence Force, Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe has insisted that his future in the position is solely a decision for Prime Minister Philip Davis.
Munroe, speaking on Morning Blend with Dwight Strachan on Thursday, addressed speculation that he could be the unnamed high-ranking politician referenced in one of the indictments. Currently attending a CARICOM Ministers of National Security conference in St. Kitts, Munroe categorically denied any involvement in drug or firearms trafficking.
“I have not received any money, asked for any money, or been offered any money to facilitate drug or firearms trafficking,” Munroe said. He added that he does not know the identity of the alleged individual but stressed that the legal process should run its course.
Munroe revealed that he learned of the charges against Chief Superintendent of Police Elvis Curtis on Tuesday evening from Commissioner of Police Clayton Fernander. Commissioner Fernander had also been providing updates on Chief Petty Officer Darrin Roker, who was similarly implicated. When asked when he became aware of the allegations against Roker, Munroe said, “Could have been Tuesday.”
The minister aligned his stance with Prime Minister Davis, who addressed the matter in the House of Assembly on Wednesday. Munroe also pointed to a forthcoming bill, set to be debated in Parliament next week, which aims to address corruption within law enforcement agencies. This legislation, he said, has been in development for the past two years.
Responding to calls from the opposition and others for a commission of inquiry into this and similar matters, Munroe noted that such inquiries often fall short. “You cannot be held criminally responsible based on the things you say in a commission of inquiry,” he explained, adding that this limitation could undermine the inquiry’s purpose.
When questioned about why local law enforcement had not acted on these allegations earlier, Munroe declined to respond. He also addressed skepticism that a local investigation might not have advanced as far as the current U.S. federal case.
He refuted those concerns, emphasizing that Bahamian law enforcement officers have been brought before the courts for various offenses in the past. “Lack of trust in one instance demonstrates how easily trust can be lost,” he said. “That’s why it is so important to protect it.”
Munroe cited a previous case in which a gazetted officer was charged in The Bahamas for cocaine trafficking, although he could not confirm whether that case is connected to the current federal indictment.
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