Sex offenders registry and parole registry to monitor offenders after prison release
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Police have confirmed that four-year-old D’Onya “Bella” Walker died in hospital on Friday as a result of blunt force trauma to her body, which resulted in multiple fractures.
Little Bella was reportedly taken to Princess Margaret Hospital injured and unresponsive around 5pm last Friday.
She later succumbed to her injuries, with news of the circumstances of her tragic death sending shockwaves throughout the country.
While police are still investigating her death as “suspicious”, a man and a woman have been taken into custody in connection with the matter.
The police have not yet confirmed their identities or relation to Bella, nor have they confirmed or denied whether the child was sexually assaulted as has been widely speculated in the public sphere.
The heartbreaking incident has renewed calls surrounding the need to address gender-based violence and implement a fully functioning sexual offenders register.
Minister of National Security Wayne Munroe said yesterday that he is expected to receive an update on the status of that registry on Thursday.
“My understanding is the software is here and available and that there is at least one person that is being tracked to test the system and I will find out on Thursday why it hasn’t been fully deployed already,” Munroe told reporters outside Cabinet.
“The impression I get was that it was ready to be deployed and was simply waiting on the say-so of the minister.”
Munroe indicated that while a sex offender registry may prevent repeat offenses, he questioned the efficacy of the register on a small island like New Providence.
“I’m not sure value there is in knowing who is on the 21 by 7. But if it may prevent one offense we will follow through,” he said.
The national security minister explained that recommendations to implement a parole system to track all dangerous offenders once they leave prison would be more efficient.
“If you are a sexual predator, when you are released from prison we will monitor you electronically for up 10 years after you get out of prison,” Munroe said,
“To my mind that is more useful because you will know we know where you are 24 hours a day, we know where you are 24hours a day and in my mind, that would be better.”
The registration of the Sex Offenders Regulations was tabled in the House of Assembly in July 2019.
According to the regulations, the minister would make a disclosure to the public to “heighten their awareness of the presence of the sexual offender in or near their area”.
The offender would be required to report to the registry that serves their residential area within three days of release from lawful custody.
Any change of address or name has to be provided to the registry within seven days and the offender would also be required to report to a registration center every 11 to 12 months.
Munroe noted that the Davis administration does not intend to make any major changes to the legislation, insisting, “this has been too long in the planning and execution”.
He said that the only shift from the previous administration’s policy would be for offenders to report more frequently than once a year.
He added that the registrar has been appointed and reporting sites have been identified.
“It’s just a matter of getting it done and I intend to get it done”.
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