CARS! CARS!
WOMAN & HEALTH
The Tribune
TUESDAY
L AT E S T
HIGH 89ºF LOW 80ºF
N E W S
CLASSIFIEDS TRADER
O N
T R I B U N E 2 4 2 . C O M
Biggest And Best!
Volume: 123 No. 140, Tuesday, June 16, 2026
THE PEOPLE’S PAPER: PRICE–$1
EMBARRASSMENT TO FORCE AND COUNTRY Says police commissioner as two officers charged with extortion of US citizen By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS Tribune Staff Reporter lmunnings@tribunemedia.net TWO police officers are expected to face extortion charges today after a United States tourist complained that he was targeted at the Nassau Cruise Port, a case Commissioner of Police Shanta Knowles called “embarrassing” for the force and the country. The Royal Bahamas Police Force confirmed that
a 23-year-old female police officer and a 27-year-old male police officer were taken into custody after the tourist made an extortion complaint on Sunday, June 14. Both officers are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court at 10am. Commissioner Knowles told The Tribune the allegations strike at the reputation of the organisation
CHARGED - SEE PAGE THREE POLICE COMMISSIONER SHANTA KNOWLES
GOVT PLANS NEW COURT TO CLEAR TRIAL BACKLOG
BAHAMIAN STUDENT SUSPECTED IN FLORIDA STABBING FOUND DEAD
By LEANDRA ROLLE Tribune Chief Reporter lrolle@tribunemedia.net
By DENISE MAYCOCK Tribune Freeport Reporter dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
NATIONAL Security Minister Myles Laroda yesterday pledged to establish a backlog reduction court within two years, expand specialised firearms courts and spend $1.5m on a new virtual court complex as the
Davis administration moves to confront long-running delays in the criminal justice system. Speaking during his budget contribution, Mr Laroda outlined a broad package of crime, court, prison, border security and oversight initiatives, backed by COURT - SEE PAGE FOUR
HANSEL PEARSON
A 21-YEAR-OLD Bahamian student in Florida was identified by authorities as the suspect in a double stabbing near the University of South Florida before he was found dead hours later at a nearby apartment complex. Hansel Pearson, of Grand
Bahama, is suspected of stabbing his roommate and another person during an early morning attack at Halo 46 Apartments in Tampa last Wednesday, according to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies responded to the apartment complex on North 46th Street around 4.30am after a man STABBING - SEE PAGE FIVE
Munroe: Compensation more important than saying sorry By EARYEL BOWLEG Tribune Staff Reporter ebowleg@tribunemedia.net ATTORNEY General Wayne Munroe said yesterday the government will pay damages to Claudia Edwards Bethel’s estate after the Privy Council upheld the state’s liability for her unlawful detention and rape by a senior
immigration officer, saying “some things are more important than sorry” when asked about calls for an apology. His comments came after Human Rights Bahamas president Stephanie StFleur demanded a public apology to Edwards Bethel’s family MUNROE - SEE PAGE FIVE
Nassau & Bahama Islands’ Leading Newspaper
CLAUDIA EDWARDS BETHEL