NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Commissioner Paul Rolle said he is investigating the alleged altercation between Housing and Transport Minister Jobeth Colbey-Davis and a police officer who claims his leg was injured during his encounter with the minister.
Rolle, responding to Eyewitness News yesterday, declined to comment further.
The officer involved in the incident has hired a lawyer, according to Police Staff Association Executive Chairman Ricardo Walkes.
Meanwhile, an alleged eyewitness told Eyewitness News a woman driver appeared to roll over the officer’s foot, prompting witnesses to shout for police backup.
Colbey-Davis denied yesterday that she hit an officer with her car.
Her comment came after Walkes said the altercation was between the woman driver of a silver SUV and that the officer was struck after he told her he was told not to let any vehicles through.
Walkes said: “This officer also said that she shouted at him, ‘Do you know who I am!’ as she attempted to driver around the barricades and hit hum another two times before he moved from her path being in fear for his safety and she sped away.”
“He had to seek medical attention and was treated in the hospital for his injuries and later discharged.”
Walkes continued: “I thought that those ‘do you know who I am’ days were open but here we are. No one is above the laws of this country. Striking anyone intentionally with a vehicle is a breach of the penal code. Any assault on a police officer while in execution of his duties is a criminal act and is in breach of both the penal code and the Police Act.”
Walkes said his association will not stand by idly and let the rights of his members be breached.
The alleged eyewitness, meanwhile, said the incident happened as police were directing traffic in the direction of Arawak Cay and away from Saunders Beach.
The alleged witness said a jeep emerged and tried to go in the direction of Saunders Beach, causing an argument to break out between the driver and the officer.
The witness said suddenly they saw the officer hung up against the barricade because the driver “rolled up a bit and went over his foot.”
The witness said there were calls from bystanders for police backup. High-ranking police officers reportedly responded, and apologized to the driver before allowing her to travel the route she wanted to.
“We were there on the corner and everybody was like she didn’t get a ticket, they didn’t arrest her, whoever she was they just let her go. If that was anyone else they would’ve gotten a ticket or gotten arrested on the spot,” the witness said.
Yesterday, Coleby-Davis, insisted she will be proven right.
“I stand by my previous statement that it is untrue what is being said and like my grandmother always say, the last laugh is the best laugh,” she told reporters outside the House of Assembly yesterday.
“And so I will wait for all of the other information to come forward but I stand by statement that that is untrue. That is not my character. I had my three-year-old daughter with me on Saturday so I would never act out in her presence. Even if it was my character, I would not. That’s not my personality and I would not do that in the presence of my three-year-old daughter.”
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