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Lawmen or Outlaws?

Featherbed Lane shooting

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Submitted by Fed up Cop

I am concerned as a police officer of the conduct of some of my colleagues. Ghost guns seems to now standard operating procedure among some thugs in the force. More police officers need to speak out against the few who are giving the force a bad name. The pay is awful and the hours are long, I signed up because I wanted to make a difference.

If you are lodge member or willing to sell your conscience you are assured of accelerated promotion. Many getting promoted and hardly know anything about managing a station.Imagine you are not even covered for injuries suffered in vehicular accident while on duty.

Orville and Grantley were the best two bosses we ever had. Nothing will come out of the incident as no effort was taken to test for gunpowder residue. Hope the young man brings a lawsuit as it could be my family or even yours. Bad cops only make my job and others who respect the public as police officers job more dangerous. This video made me sad as an officer as no statement has come from my bosses

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74 responses to “Lawmen or Outlaws?”

  1. David Avatar
    David

    We need to improve community policing strategies. ‘Things’ will happen from time to time but if we grow a culture of trust between stakeholders it should help.

    Get to the root!

    Reverend challenges police to find new ways to reach youth

    IF THE BARBADOS POLICE SERVICE is truly going to move from a force to a service, it must get to the root of what is troubling youth, says senior pastor at the Apostolic Teaching Centre, Reverend Eliseus Joseph.

    During his sermon at a thanksgiving service in celebration of the 190th anniversary of the police service, held yesterday at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre,

    Two Mile Hill, St Michael, he said many youth were looking for meaning and suffering from trauma, so addressing this deficit was key to halting crime.

    “It is important that you understand that all human beings have a strong desire to understand their lives, and to get clarity about their identity, and to recognise meaning in their lives,” said Joseph, whose background is in sociology.

    “A sense of purpose gives us meaning – it produces better experiences, it gives us a sense of fulfilment, it improves our physical [and] mental health, it gives us meaningful relationships, it provides us meaning at work and purpose at work, it improves our academic performance, it provides longevity for us and it also improves our working life. So meaning and purpose are the two most important things that we want to emphasise.

    Crime and violence

    “One of the things we also have to understand is that it is our youth predominantly [committing crimes], because when we look at the crime and violence, it is really happening among a very small group of people between, let’s say, the ages of 15 and 30. And when we think of those young people, they are struggling for meaning and purpose. And the reality is, there are a number of things that has happened in our society that predispose them to meaninglessness, to a sense of void and vacuum within their hearts or lives.”

    He told the gathering, which included President The Most Honourable Dame Sandra Mason, Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce, the top brass of the service, rank and file members and recruits, as well as Chief of Staff of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF), Brigadier General Carlos, Lovell, that a strong sense of meaning and purpose for young people could make a difference.

    “So I want to suggest that as you move forward as police officers, that you recognise that if you truly want to make the transition from a police force to a police service, you provide a service for the young people by first asking them, not what’s wrong with them, but what has happened to them,” he said.

    Joseph said violence was a cry for meaning, and addiction was an attempt to medicate pain and suffering, so he challenged the assembled officers to create innovative ways to give youth a sense of belonging.

    Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, in his address, said the world had changed and so policing had to adapt.

    “It is no longer about local maintenance of law and order. The police of today have to deal with cross-border policing, organised international crime, human trafficking, international narcotics trade, the proliferation of firearmrelated offences and the lack of respect for authority.

    “Through the evolution of time . . . that respect no longer exists and that makes your role more difficult.

    It is an international phenomena – discipline, respect for authority and general behavioural standards are on the decline. People keep pointing and saying the police should do this and the BDF and the Government should do that, but, quite frankly, we are not about policing communities but policing with communities and working with other institutions which are supposed to be supporting law and order in Barbados,” he said.

    Not in vacuum

    Abrahams said policing could not be done in a vacuum, and often, the police came in on the tail end when problems arose but were expected to make miracles happen. As such, he said, it was necessary to have a whole-of-society approach to tackle crime.

    Commissioner Boyce said the service had adapted to change and risen to every challenge, while following the trail blazed by their forebears. He said they were also embracing technology and new investigative methods, improving training and deepening their relationship with the community.

    “Our engagements with the community we serve are characterised by various acts of compassion with a willingness to assist persons on an emotional level, oftentimes selflessly putting the cares of others before ourselves. However, we are well aware maintaining that compassion and empathy in our duties can be somewhat challenging, given the vagaries of our duties. But where there are acts of hostility, we try to repair that fallout with appropriate responses.

    “Over time, we have endeavoured to be a highly professional organisation, and, to a large measure, we have been able to achieve that status. We still have the support and trust of our various publics, which is somewhat of a two-way street. If the community trusts the police, they will be more inclined to assist and partner with the police. We are highly accountable to the populace of Barbados. Hence we are aware we are to follow the rules, standards and guidelines that are in place, and when there is fallout with compliance with these checks and balances, then the appropriate acts are triggered,” he said. (CA)

    Source: Nation

  2. Dirt Avatar
    Dirt

    Is Barbados struggles with high rates of crime and police violence, particularly in urban/tourist-frequented areas. In order to effectively combat this issue, it is important to develop a comprehensive crime-fighting plan that addresses the root causes of crime, including police beatings of pedestrians.

    Implement effective strategies to reduce its prevalence.
    One of the key steps in developing a crime-fighting plan is to identify the main types of crime that are prevalent in Barbados. This might include violent crimes such as murder and assault, drug trafficking, and property crimes such as theft and burglary. By understanding the specific types of crime that are most common, law enforcement agencies can tailor their efforts to focus on the areas of greatest need.

    Another important step is to analyze the root causes of crime in Barbados. Poverty, unemployment, and social inequality are all factors that contribute to high rates of crime in the country. In order to effectively combat crime, it is necessary to address these underlying issues. This might involve implementing programmes to reduce poverty and unemployment, and initiatives to promote social inclusion and support disadvantaged communities.

    We need to utilize civilian knowledge of crime. Integrating active neighborhood watches and a variety of other techniques, as opposed to relying solely on police patrols in black Jeeps/SUVs, is a big step towards improving the flow of information about activities that manifest into serious crime.

    Have police and BDF personnel walk through communities in pairs and interact with the youngsters instead of driving through in their black SUV’S slowly that intimidates the youngsters who are hanging out under the tarmarind trees in groups.

    Note: the idea for police and BDF personnel to pair up was first mentioned on the Barbados Underground Platform prior to Barbados General elections of 2018.

    Note: those police beatings only occur when backup personnel are present and who also condoned those actions.

  3. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    I am concerned as a police officer of the conduct of some of my colleagues. Ghost guns seems to now standard operating procedure among some thugs in the force. More police officers need to speak out against the few who are giving the force a bad name. The pay is awful and the hours are long, I signed up because I wanted to make a difference.

    Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

    CHICKENS COME HOME TO ROOST.

    WHEN I CAME ON BARBADOS UNDERGROUND DURING THE PANDEMIC AND SHARED MY PAST EXPERIENCES OF WHY I LEFT THE 2X3 ISLAND.

    INCLUDING A FRAUDULENT FLORIDA DRIVER LICENCE BEING PLANTED IN THE BACK OF PREVIOUSLY OWNED BMW BY OFFICERS FROM THE FRAUD SQUAD DISTRICT A IN COLLUSION WITH AT THE TIME A US DRUG DEPORTEE OWNER OF I BELIEVE A NOW CLOSED STRIP CLUB WHO WAS PARTNERING WITH NOTORIOUS DRUG DEALER NIGEL PINDER AKA BOUNTY FROM ST PHILIP AFTER THEY TRIED TO BLACKMAIL AND EXTORT BD$15000 WHICH I REFUSED TO PAY.

    A FEW YEARS LATER ANOTHER 2X3 ISLAND POLICEMAN WORKING SOLELY AT THE GLEBE POLICE STATION WHEN I REPORTED A BAD CHECK FOR BLACKBERRY CELL PHONES SOLD TO A BUSINESSMAN IN THE AREA AT THE TIME SHOWED ME A BRAND NEW TASER AND PEPPER SPRAY. HIS ASKING PRICE WAS BD$1500. I BOUGHT BOTH AND HANDED THEM OVER TO MY ATTORNEY THE SAME DAY TO SHOW HOW CORRUPT THE LOCAL FORCE WAS.

    THIS SAME POLICE OFFICER AT THE TIME ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE HAD FELLOW OFFICERS SELLING GUNS IF I NEEDED ONE ON THE BLACKMARKET. I SAID NO. THIS WAS AROUND 2014 MORE THAN A DECADE AGO.

    THE 2X3 ISLAND POLICE ARE JUST AS CORRUPT AS JAMAICA AND TRINIDAD POLICE.

  4. Dirt Avatar
    Dirt

    @ baje

    Ex Air force personnel/police officer/AKA de sheep backup pun you while pissing.

    Barbados’ crime rate is in de infancy stages compared to Jamaica 🇯🇲 or Trinidad 🇹🇹. Maybe size matters !
    2×3 Murderahhhhhhhh Davie, Murderahhhhhhhh 🦶👄 foot in mouth🎶🎸🎤 Murderahhhhhhhh!!!!

  5. David Avatar
    David

    Most Barbadians do not have confidence we can turn it around.

    Top cop intent on arresting hike in firearms crime

    WHILE THERE WAS ONLY a tiny increase in overall crime last year, gun-related offences have gone up significantly.

    Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce shared that information yesterday while stressing that the Barbados Police Service will be intensifying its efforts to try to arrest the worrying trend.

    “There was a slight increase of one per cent from 6 230 cases in 2023 to 6 301 in 2024. In 2024, there were 401 cases involving firearm use and firearm-related offences, compared with 351 similar offences in 2023, an increase of 14 per cent.

    “Unfortunately, the number of murders rose from 21 in 2023 to 49 in 2024, a sobering reminder of what can befall us should we not utilise elevated levels of our resources in the war against illegal possession and use of firearms in our communities,” he said while addressing the police service’s annual grand conference at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre yesterday.

    It was held under the theme Pride In Our Legacy, Vision For Tomorrow: 190 Years Of Tradition And Transformation.

    “We have to redouble our efforts to win the battle against various players in the illegal firearm mix: the traffickers, suppliers, users, the stashers and also those persons who conspire with other persons,” Boyce said.

    He said there have been some successes and reductions in areas such as vehicle theft and commercial burglaries.

    “Some of the positive highlights we can be pleased with included the 66 per cent detection rate in overall crime, a 20 per cent decrease in commercial burglaries, a 32 per cent decrease in theft of motor vehicles and a 55 per cent decrease in theft of livestock. There was a 20 per cent decrease in offences related to domestic violence,” the Commissioner added.

    Attorney General Dale Marshall, who also addressed the conference, expressed satisfaction at the progress but acknowledged that violent crimes were still a concern.

    “I am happy there has only been a very slight increase in crime. Yet there cannot be any denying that violent crimes have mushroomed on our island and across the region and continue to be a cause for concern. Gun crime, in particular, has become an almost daily occurrence and fearfulness among our citizens has become commonplace,” Marshall said.

    So far for the year, there have been 15 homicides – ten of which were gunrelated.

    While recalling that the Government has increased the number of judges and strengthened legislation, the Attorney General stressed that would not be enough.

    “Research will show that the countries that have built the most jails, imprisoned the most people and provided the harshest of penalties have not been successful at stemming the growth of crime in their communities.

    “Tough policing is important but if we do not take steps at trying to steer people away from crime, the perceived gains from more arrests and faster trials will be meaningless,” Marshall said.

    Boyce noted that in addition to reducing gun violence, leveraging technology, enhancing crime prevention strategies and road safety were among their priorities.

    He said their policing methods and techniques were being improved thanks to CCTV camera points and body cams technology in their vehicles.

    In relation to the road safety issue, he said there were also some improvements. In 2023, there were 6 989 recorded accidents in comparison with 4 472 last year.

    In 2023, there were 2 051 accidents recorded after September 14 but only 257 for the same period in 2024, a significant decrease of 87 per cent.

    The number of fatal accidents in 2023 and 2024 stood at 18 each year.

    Boyce also justified their decision not to respond to minor accidents since last September.

    “An interim assessment was conducted which generally indicated that there was an increase in the number of available shift personnel to tend to matters. This meant they were able to pay more attention to their deployment in specific areas of concern without having to be called away to attend minor accidents.”

    While reiterating their goals, Boyce stressed that law enforcement could not be successful on its own. “The fight to win the battle against firearms will require country-wide support. The police working in tandem with the Barbados Defence Force will not be able to do it on their own.”

    He added that the service remained focused on providing the highest quality service to the public. “We remain committed to engaging with members of various communities and collaborating with public safety stakeholders. We will continue to embrace technology for solutions to enhance our performance.”

    (TG)

  6. David Avatar
    David

    This is a joke right?

    Jaws of Life stolen from fire station

    by MARIA BRADSHAW

    mariabradshaw@nationnews.com

    A ‘JAWS OF LIFE’ rescue tool used by the Barbados Fire Service to extricate victims trapped in vehicles has gone missing from the Worthing Fire Station in Christ Church, and police are turning up the heat as they have been called in to investigate.

    The DAILY NATION was reliably informed that the tool, which weighs about 50 pounds and is valued at more than $100 000, is believed to have been stolen from a fire truck in the dead of night more than a week ago.

    When contacted yesterday, Chief Fire Officer Errol Maynard confirmed that the critical, life-saving equipment was missing.

    Spares

    “It is a fact but it doesn’t have an effect on us right now. It is a very sensitive matter because it is being investigated so I cannot share any information right now, but it doesn’t have an effect on our operations. We always have spares,” he said.

    An upset Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams, under whose ministry the Fire Service falls, expressed concern that the equipment had been stolen and that it could be used for nefarious deeds. He called the theft “reprehensible”.

    “I can confirm to you that a ‘Jaws of Life’ is missing. It was stolen from a fire truck while at the fire station. It is the subject of a police investigation now,” he said.

    “I think it is a reprehensible act because this is the same equipment that the fire service uses to save lives. If there is a bad accident, if somebody is trapped somewhere and you need to cut through or free somebody, that is exactly what they need. The bulk of the fire trucks have that equipment because it is critical to their functions. For somebody to steal that, which is one of the most important pieces of equipment that we use to save lives, is a most perverse and reprehensible act.”

    Abrahams appealed to anyone with information to “come forward and allow us to recover it”.

    Sources said each fire station had one ‘Jaws of Life’ attached to it and this could hamper operations at Worthing.

    “Every station carries one independently. It is an actual cutting tool that is used to cut metal so that we can rescue people, so it is important that every vehicle carries one,” one source said.

    Describing the tool as heavy, he said people were puzzled by its disappearance as it was usually locked away in a compartment on the fire truck.

    Hole in fence

    “We are hearing that a hole was found at the back of the fence at the station. It usually takes three men to lift that equipment. So the hydraulic generator, the hose and the cutting equipment, all of that is gone. So whoever took it would have to know what they were taking up. They had to go into the locker of the truck and detach all of that equipment. The lockers are closed and the trucks are stored in the bay.”

    The source said there were cameras on the compound but certain areas had “blind spots”.

    “They are keeping it hush-hush. It was only discovered after somebody went to check the equipment,” the source said.

    He pointed out that the equipment was supposed to be checked twice a day. “The equipment should be checked by the shift that comes in at 8:25 in the morning and the shift that is coming in at 6:25 in the evening. So that equipment would’ve gone through a number of shifts before they realised it was missing. It seems that they were not doing a thorough check of the equipment because even on Saturdays, it is routine that all the cutting equipment should be laid out and cleaned. So something went wrong somewhere.”

    He added: “This will affect the station because can you imagine turning up to an accident and you ain’t got your cutting equipment? You know how embarrassing and serious that is?”

    Other sources said there were suspicions surrounding the disappearance of the equipment at the same time when the Fire Service was conducting interviews for promotions.

    “Interviews were conducted . . . and several people are upset. Morale is at an all-time low and people are frustrated and unhappy. So we are wondering if this has anything to do with how people are feeling. It has to be real bad if someone would steal equipment because they are disgruntled.”

    It is understood that a report was made to police and investigations began last Friday.

  7. David Avatar
    David

    Criminal courts making progress

    CRIMINAL COURTS have been doing a better job of closing cases, says Attorney General Dale Marshall.

    He made the point yesterday as he spoke during the Barbados Police Service’s annual grand conference at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

    “The number of attorneys in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions increased from eight prosecutors to 17. There has been an enormous improvement in dealing with criminal matters in the High Court.

    “In the 18-month period commencing January 2023 to June 2024, 584 indictable matters were disposed of and that includes 67 murders. In 2024, the criminal courts were able to dispose of 292 cases,” Marshall said.

    He also said they enacted plea bargaining legislation to help speed up criminal trials.

    “If this works effectively, it will reduce the number of hours that officers have to stand and give evidence in those trials. We’ve also enacted legislation to provide for trials by judge alone. This will reduce the length of criminal trials and allow the criminal justice system to work more efficiently.”

    He also recalled that the number of judges who oversee criminal trials were increased from two in 2018 to eight.

    The Attorney General said several legislative measures were implemented to support the work of the Barbados Police Service, including the Advisory Council on Citizens Security, whistle-blower and anti-corruption legislation, an amended Bail Act and other laws.

    “Government has been at the forefront of aggressively shaping the legislative platform and other responses that must be put in place to accelerate the cogent response to the threats, and to ensure our communities remain safe and free from anxiety.

    “We’ve enacted legislation to provide for stiff mandatory minimum penalties of ten years’ imprisonment for illegal use of a firearm as a first offence, with not less than 20 years’ imprisonment for a second offence. The new Bail Act has been passed to make it harder for persons charged with murder or serious firearm offences to get bail.

    “This was in response to the large number of persons who officers work hard to investigate and charge, but who were granted bail by the courts and coming out to commit serious offences,” Marshall said.

    To increase the numbers in the service, he also said they put measures in place to ensure special constables with three years on the job could be integrated into the service. They are also looking to recruit 60 more special constables to make up for any shortfall.

    He admitted there was a need to re-examine the condition of police facilities.

    “The working conditions of police officers must improve where they are not up to par. The Geddes Grant building [on Whitepark Road] has been acquired for the use of the service. The demolition work has been completed. I expect that within the very near future, no more than two or so months, we will see the construction of offices for the police service commencing.

    “My office has commissioned the survey by an engineering firm of all our police stations and that report is in hand. We are now in the position to set a plan for the refurbishment of those stations that have to be refurbished and we are far advanced in discussion on a new police station at Six Roads. I can assure you we are committed to ensuring that your officers will work in the best conditions possible.”

    (TG)

    Source: Nation

  8. David Avatar
    David

    Free for all?

    ‘BITE BACK’
    DENTAL ASSOCIATION WANTS POLICE TO CRACK DOWN ON UNLICENSED PROVIDERS
    By Shanna Moore
    The Barbados Dental Association (BDA) is sounding the alarm over the growing prevalence of illegal dental and cosmetic procedures performed by unlicensed individuals, warning that public health is at serious risk due to weak enforcement of existing laws.
    BDA President Dr Vidya Armogan pointed to a significant issue: While the Dental Act clearly stipulates that any dental procedure— such as tooth whitening, fillings, braces, and veneers—must be conducted by a registered dentist, these laws are not being properly enforced.
    “The problem is the enforcement,” he said in an interview with Barbados TODAY. “The law is on the books, but for the police department, I feel it’s a new thing and they don’t know how to deal with it.”
    Despite clear legal frameworks and penalties, including fines up to $2 000 and six months in prison for violators, unauthorised practitioners continue to operate with impunity, Dr Armogan said. He noted that many of these illegal providers advertise their services on social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, often slipping through the cracks and operating without consequence.
    “They’re flying in and out. You may never see them again. They’re coming from a different name and a different location,” he noted.
    The BDA noted that most of the unauthorised practitioners entering Barbados are coming from Jamaica, the US, and Trinidad, while some local hair and nail technicians are also being trained to perform procedures they may not realise are illegal.
    Others, Armogan added, are fully aware of the illegality but continue because “it’s a quick, fast, easy way to deceive the public and make money”.
    While the BDA continues to push for better enforcement, it is also urging the government to eliminate VAT and import duties on dental and medical equipment to help make care more accessible and strengthen the country’s dental tourism industry.
    In an April 5 press release, the association said it had made multiple offers to the Ministry of Health—including free volunteer service from private dentists and the donation of internationally recognised dental software— but received no formal acknowledgment.
    “Dentists in Barbados have always been willing to serve. What we need is support from the government to ensure clinics are adequately staffed, supplied, and maintained,” Dr Armogan stated in the release.
    The BDA stressed that members were not considering withdrawing services or taking industrial action, as that would only harm the public.
    “No, I don’t think that’s in the public’s interest, quite honestly,” Dr Armogan said when asked. “If we withdraw services, the first people to suffer are the public and marketers. And so that’s not really something we would consider.”
    Instead, the association is calling for stronger action from government authorities.
    “There are people coming in doing dental procedures on a medical site, there are people doing botox fillers and mole removals. These are things that can go wrong quickly, and it’s not fair to the Barbadian public,” Armogan said.
    The BDA urged the Ministry of Health and The Barbados Police Service to step up monitoring and enforcement and to crack down on the illegal practice before more harm is done.
    “We must move beyond blame and work collaboratively to restore the integrity of our public dental services,” Armogan added in the official release. “Our profession stands ready to help—now we need the systems and leadership in place to allow that help to be effective.”
    shannamoore@barbadostoday.bb

    Source: BT

  9. Horsemeat Avatar
    Horsemeat

    David
    April 8, 2025 at 3:26 am

    Not surprising. In Barbados now, anything not tied down gets stolen.

    And even then.

  10. David Avatar
    David

    @Horsemeat

    There should be basic security at a fire station? Important equipment paid for by taxpayers should be properly secured?

  11. David Avatar
    David

    Rowe’s case gets going

    by ANTOINETTE CONNELL

    antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com

    PARLIAMENTARIAN NEIL GABRIEL ROWE spent an hour sitting in the dock of a High Court yesterday as the prosecution outlined its rape case against him, starting with two witnesses from its list of 11.

    The 45-year-old former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly had arrived at the Supreme Court Complex on Whitepark Road, St Michael, around 10 a.m. with his attorney King’s Counsel Michael Lashley. About 10:45 a.m., he uttered the words “not guilty” when the indictment was read to him by the clerk of the No 5 Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Pamela Beckles.

    Jury selection

    Rowe is charged with the rape of a woman on September 18, 2022 at his Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church home, and his defence team challenged four – all women – of the 16 people called as possible jurors. Prosecutor Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis challenged one, a man, while three women opted out of being selected, one stating she knew the accused, another because she knew a police witness and the third because she did not feel comfortable deliberating on the matter.

    The final jury comprised five women and four men who were sworn in or affirmed after Justice Beckles repeated the usual caution to speak up if they were uncomfortable or felt they could not be fair in the trial.

    Davis, in her address to the court, acknowledged that the accused and the alleged victim knew each other prior to the incident and “they were in the stage of getting to know each other”.

    The jurors’ role, she told them, was to judge the evidence and not the virtual complainant or the accused, also stating that rape was “a violent act”.

    ‘Violation’

    “It’s violent because it’s a violation of a person’s body. It’s a violation of the person’s freedom to say what they want to do with their body. By violent, I don’t mean that in every rape you will see fighting, scratching, black eyes, cuts, bruises. You will not find that in every rape. There are rapes which occur by intimidation, there are rapes that can occur in other ways,” she said, citing instances where victims were scared to fight.

    “It is also a rape if a victim doesn’t consent and the other party goes ahead and does the opposite, regardless of consent. So, if a person forces themselves on a person, that is rape. If you don’t care whether or not a person is consenting, that is rape; that is what I mean by recklessness,” she said.

    “When you hear facts, you must consider whether the virtual complainant in this matter was in a state to give consent and whether she did give consent. When you hear the evidence, I ask you to consider whether you believe that she could have consented. I want you to consider whether the accused man made any effort to find out if she was consenting. This you can assess from all the circumstances in the case. You must consider every thing said and done in this matter and you are to make a determination as to what makes sense to you,” Davis said in her 15-minute address.

    She called on the jurors to have an open mind as they listen to the evidence, bringing to bear their life experiences during deliberations as different people reacted differently in situations.

    Consent, she explained, was paramount in the trial and the law allowed people to draw common sense inferences from things said and done, and that was what they had to do with the evidence presented to them. They were not, she added, to discuss the case with anyone or allow anyone to approach them about it for the duration of the trial, a warning that also came from the judge when the court adjourned for the day.

    Rowe, who was dressed in a grey jacket, blue slacks, a pale blue shirt with a tie, consulted with his counsel during the jury selection stage but otherwise sat without expression as the case progressed to its first witness.

    Both Constables Elton Prescott and Nicole Taylor, photographers with the Forensic Scenes of Crime Unit of the Barbados Police Service, were brief in their evidence and under crossexamination by Lashley.

    Prescott said he went to Rowe’s home on October 22, 2022, and took photographs that included the bathroom and bedroom.

    Taylor said she took photographs of the alleged victim’s clothing of a grey T-shirt, a pair of jeans, a fluorescent green shirt and an underwear in September 2022.

    Source: Nation

  12. David Avatar
    David

    Maybe it is the blogmaster’s error but the CBC has no coverage of the Rowe trial on its website?

  13. David Avatar
    David

    https://barbadosunderground.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot-2025-04-08-at-4.15.19 AM.png

    Source: Nation

  14. David Avatar
    David

    GUN CRIME/PUBLIC SAFETY TOP PRIORITY FOR THE POLICE

    Commissioner of Police Mr. Richard Boyce

    Police Commissioner, Richard Boyce, has listed reducing gun crime and improving public safety as among the key priorities for the Barbados Police Service in 2025, as he notes a slight increase in crime overall last year but a spike in gun crime and a significant increase in murders.

    Commissioner Boyce was addressing the annual police conference as the force celebrates its 190thanniversary.

    The Commissioner stresses the need for an all-of-country effort in the battle against crime and says that the police will be going after all those involved in every aspect of the gun trade.

    Attorney General Dale Marshall has urged the police to ensure that their crime fighting strategies remain relevant as he pointed out that criminals in Barbados have become sophisticated and also brazen in their conduct.

    He told those attending the police conference that the criminal elements no longer respect the authority of the police and that the almost daily occurrence of gun violence in Barbados is a cause for concern.

    The Attorney General stressed that other strategies apart from effective policing are needed to turn criminals away from a life of crime.

    Attorney General Dale Marshall.

    Source: Starcom

  15. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    @David, not one word about the declining public trust or weeding out bad apples a clear indication they are all clueless. Nothing about pay or the promised regrading

  16. David Avatar
    David

    This is no surprise, it has always been about PR fluff and hoping hard issues will go away. It may also be a sign our authorities are clueless about finding real solutions.

  17. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    “Unfortunately, we have to redouble our efforts in winning the battle against the various players in the illegal firearm mix —

    the traffickers, the suppliers, the users, the stashers,

    and also those persons who conspire with other persons to perpetuate and perpetrate in their relationships with these weapons,” he said.

  18. Bajan in Exile Avatar
    Bajan in Exile

    Oh my: Some of the hifalutin language by some of the commetators blows me away. Is that going to solve the problem?

    Opening up with the “Reverend Eliseus Joseph”. to whom the Nation ascribes a degree in Sociology and NOT ONE mention of the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth Who is THE ONLY solution to this problem Mr. Joseph have you forgotten your initial calling as you have climbed the ladder?

    Yes Mr. Joseph, the Good Book warns that if you deny Me in public, I will deny YOU when I see you.

    Well brethren the problem is NONE of what the above who so laboriously have attempted to outline.

    The problem is that Bajans have turned their backs on God and this is the outcome that all and any of us can expect when we “throw” the Almighty Creator God out – the One Who created the heavens and earth: The One Who created me and Who created you and Who has numbered the days of our lives.

    So until we ALL humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, repent and seek the Face of the Lord ONLY THEN will God heal our land: 2 Chronicles 7:14

  19. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    “….brethren the problem is NONE of what the above who so laboriously have attempted to outline.
    The problem is that Bajans have turned their backs on God and this is the outcome that all and any of us can expect when we “throw” the Almighty Creator God out – the One Who created the heavens and earth: The One Who created me and Who created you and Who has numbered the days of our lives.
    So until we ALL humble ourselves, turn from our wicked ways, repent and seek the Face of the Lord ONLY THEN will God heal our land: 2 Chronicles 7:14”
    ~~~~~~~~~~
    AMEN and amen!!
    FULL STOP!!

  20. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    smile

  21. Hants Avatar
    Hants

  22. Anti Headcrack Avatar
    Anti Headcrack

    @Hants they really want the police to crack heads but Barbados is too small for head crackers to crack heads and get away with it. The police are now only special once they can be used to crack heads and ruff up citizens as well criminals.

  23. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Not so smooth criminals.

  24. David Avatar
    David

    Guyanese protesting in the streets because of a police shooting.

    https://youtu.be/t7l4OABQvoE

  25. BAJE Avatar
    BAJE

    Fed-up POLICE

    I WILL EXPOSE THESE CRIMINAL POLICE I MET IN THE 2X3 ISLAND FRAUD SQUAD WHO WERE TRYING TO EXTORT $15000 AND ALSO TOLD ME THEY WANTED TO WORK WITH ME SINCE I KNEW HOW TO MAKE MONEY DURING THE 5 DAYS I WAS AT DISTRICT A, STATION HILL.

    NOTE THESE SAME CRIMINAL POLICE NEVER CHARGED FOR THE FALSE ID PLANTED TO SET ME UP IN THE TRUNK OF THE BMW TO DO THEIR BIDDINGS AS I REFUSED TO WORK WITH THEM.

    THE DETECTIVES WERE CONSTABLE WAITHE HIS FEMALE RELATIVE LATER MARRIED THE ONLY WHITE POLICEMAN AT THE TIME ALONG WITH ANOTHER DETECTIVE LIVING NEXT DOOR TO WESTBURY CEMETERY I HAVE FORGOTTEN HIS NAME. THEY BOTH USED TO PLAY BASKETBALL I LEARNT LATER WITH THE US DRUG DEPORTEE STRIP CLUB OWNER ALIAS JERSEY PART OF THEIR COLLUSION TO EXTORT.

    ANOTHER DETECTIVE WAS A SARGEANT PINDER A FEMALE I ALSO LATER LEARNT WAS A RELATIVE OF NIGEL PINDER ALIAS BOUNTY ST PHILIP DRUG KINGPIN THE BUSINESS PARTNER OF THE NOW DEFUNCT STRIP CLUB ON THE 2 X 3 ISLAND WHICH WAS ON ROEBUCK STREET ON A CORNER CLOSE TO HARRISON COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL I BELIEVE ITS NAME WAS DIAMOND.

    IT WAS NOT A SURPRISE TO ME AS THE DRUG DEPORTEE JERSEY WHO PREVIOUSLY ALSO WAS A BUSINESS PARTNER OF FREDDIE HILL ROLEX STRIP CLUB/REGGAE ON THE HILL ALSO CLOSED DOWN HAD BEEN THREATENING PRIOR OF SENDING “HIS BOYS”. ALL INCLUDING SEARGEANT PINDER WERE MEMBERS OF THE FRAUD SQUAD AT DISTRICT A AND I INTERACTED WITH ALL 3.

    I WONDER HOW MANY MORE LOCALS OVER THE YEARS THEY EXTORTED WHO WERE TOO AFRAID AND GAVE INTO THEIR WISHES.

  26. David Avatar
    David

    Here is another example of the BPS asking the public for help but after 246 days Commissioner Boyce has not come to the public to share the outcome of internal investigations against their own.

    Another police appeal for help

    THE BARBADOS POLICE SERVICE has again appealed for the public’s help as it continues investigations into recent homicides, including the fatal shooting of 13-year-old Shawnathon Chase.

    Communications and public affairs officer, Acting Inspector Ryan Brathwaite, issued the call yesterday in response to queries from the MIDWEEK NATION on whether any people of interest were assisting lawmen in the case.

    “We are still appealing to the public for assistance. Anyone who witnessed or have any information that may assist us to please contact Oistins Police Station at 418-2612 or 418-2608, CrimeStoppers hotline at 1-800-8477 or police emergency 211,” Brathwaite said.

    Watching netball game

    On March 25, Chase was shot while watching a netball match at the hard court in Silver Hill, Christ Church, a stone’s throw from his home. There were reports that two individuals appeared from the nearby housing units and fired several shots.

    The Lodge School student was hit in the chest and abdomen and died while undergoing emergency surgery at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

    His death sent shockwaves across the country and led to several officials, including Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, offering condolences and speaking out against gun violence.

    Last week, Javan Burton and Dejuan Niles were found dead at Foul Bay Beach in St Philip. Police report being alerted at 11:18 p.m. on April 1 when a male contacted the Operations Control Room, stating he was involved in an altercation with another man at the beach. Officers subsequently discovered the two bodies which had multiple stab wounds. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

    Brathwaite also asked anyone who was in the vicinity of Foul Bay Beach that night to contact the District ‘C’ or Oistins Police Stations at 416-8200, 418-2612 or 836-0987.

    “We are desirous of interviewing such persons in an effort to further our investigations into serious criminal matters,” he added. (TG)

    Source: Nation

  27. David Avatar
    David

    IVY residents worried

    by JOSUÉ RAMIRÉZ NELSON josuenelson@nationnews.com

    WHILE SOME RESIDENTS in The Ivy, St Michael, praised a recently removed police outpost for bringing security to their area, others say the community still requires closer attention following cases of vandalism, break-ins and the sale of illegal drugs.

    Resident Marleene Nurse has lamented a trend of vandals targeting kiosks at the Blenheim pavilion, smashing the windows and breaking locks to enter and sleep.

    Even more concerning for her was the sale of illegal drugs, with some being sold to teenagers.

    “The outpost deserved to be out here, because there are people here that would go and sell drugs to children,” she told the MIDWEEK NATION.

    “We bought locks to put on the fence by the shops and locked it. Then last night, someone told me that vagrants were back in one of the shops. They took the gate and sprained it, and went back in the shop.”

    Series of shootings

    The outpost was set up in October 2022, following a series of shootings that left many residents concerned about their safety.

    The added security gave a sense of comfort to Kim Watson, who praised law enforcement for cooling down the temperature.

    “Before there was a lot of shooting out there, but since the outpost came everything cooled down. You feel good once the police are here because they would come down and talk to you,” she said.

    Watson remains cautious, however, and prefers to retreat into her home at the sight of unfamiliar individuals in the community.

    “So many people are getting killed, you’re forgetting the names. It doesn’t feel good because as you look in the paper, it’s a lot of young people dying. I could be home a day and it’s one of my family members,” she said.

    Along the area where the outpost stood, another resident said it would be obvious for criminal activity to cool down with police in the area, and saw the outpost as a temporary fix.

    He identified several factors that caused people to turn to crime, stating that many residents were stricken by poverty, and with fewer opportunities for gainful employment, opted instead to make their money and find their home among gangs and crews on the block.

    At a shop, other residents put down the violence to “a few bad apples” and felt that many of the often proposed solutions needed to move beyond pleas for religious principles or the downing of guns.

    “The Government is asking for the youths to put down their guns or go to church, but that ain’t how you’re going do it,” George Oliver said.

    “When they go to church and the church service over and they come home, what they going to do? They’re still hungry, still need something to do, and without it, they’re going to resort to crime.”

    Oliver, who served time in prison, said he has since made efforts to turn his life around. He works as a landscaper, lending aid to people in his community and doing what he can to mentor the youth.

    Learn a trade

    “It is important to continue teaching the youths and arming them with the tools to learn a trade and make an honest living. Often when people come out, they don’t have a lot of opportunities and they return to the streets with a gun in their hand.”

    Anderson O’neal Sandiford, who at 21 was sentenced to 24 years in jail for murder, said there were few to no chances for an honest living with the stigma attached to his crimes. He cited a lack of support and few options for enfranchisement as a key factor leading people into criminal behaviour.

    “Let me say, a man doesn’t have a family to come home to and he has to get his daily food. What the Government forcing him to do? Do the same crime out here,” he said.

    “The Government has to open their eyes. They’re looking at guns but you have to look at the beginning of the problem. You have a man that coming out of prison willing to change and not go back to the former life, and they’re coming to do something present to change. You’re making it hard with no options to do good,” he said.

    Source: Nation

  28. Goeht Avatar
    Goeht

    “Here is another example of the BPS asking the public for help but after 246 days Commissioner Boyce has not come to the public to share the outcome of internal investigations against their own.”

    It appears that your memory continues to function quite well. We are well past the 5-days attention span of the average Bajan

  29. Donna Avatar
    Donna

    It is outrageous that they ask for our help while proving themselves untrustworthy.

  30. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    https://nationnews.com/2025/04/09/police-probing-unnatural-death-at-paradise-beach/

  31. Sargeant Avatar
    Sargeant

    @Hants

    That should be an easy probe, they only have to check with the policemen who were on the scene.

  32. David Avatar
    David

    MP had a black gun, says witness

    SHE WAS TERRIFIED about reporting that she was raped, the witness said, because she would have to tell complete strangers who would not believe her because she was accusing a parliamentarian.

    That parliamentarian was Neil Rowe, she said, and she was afraid and intimidated because following the incident at his home he waved around a black gun.

    The witness told the court that she went to Oistins Police Station on September 24, 2022, taking along a friend and a police officer and remembered everybody halting at the desk, telling her to wait while they made calls.

    The woman said she met Rowe, a colleague in the Barbados Labour Party, around August 2022 and they eventually went out about three times and one of those times he stopped at his home to change and invited her inside because he was going to take a while. Inside, she declined his and his mother’s invitation to go into his bedroom where it was cooler.

    Another time, Rowe invited her over to hang out and into his bedroom where she thought they would watch movies but he said he was tired. Soon he was touching and attempting to kiss her but she told him she was not interested in having sex. After that there was limited interaction but they might correspond via a few messages.

    She eventually saw him at a fete at Haggatt Hall, St Michael, on September 17, a Saturday at which was also Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams and her male friend, who took her there. There she drank whiskey, which was in addition to the whiskey sours she had earlier that evening at another location.

    She said Rowe came over to where she and others were and the interactions were cordial and when they were ready to depart, Rowe offered to give her a ride. That made sense since her friend lived in St Peter and she and Rowe lived in Christ Church and it would take eight to ten minutes to get home.

    Outside the venue was wet and muddy and Rowe held her hand to get into the car and at the time she was feeling woozy and fell asleep to awake in St Lawrence Gap, Christ Church.

    Rowe went to get something to eat and returned with fish but she only had a bite of the fish before dropping off to sleep again. When she awoke, the car engine was off and she was wondering why they were at his home but Rowe said he felt tired.

    She told him that she needed to use the bathroom urgently and she still felt dizzy and her limbs heavy and Rowe helped her up the stairs to go to the bathroom. She barely had time to get down her jeans and underwear before she slumped on the toilet.

    “I was sitting on the toilet trying to catch myself, but I was struggling to stay awake. I felt very tired . . . . I couldn’t stay up. I was just there on the toilet and I saw Neil come into the bathroom. I felt confused. He was just there looking at me,” she said.

    Rowe started to pull her jeans down and she did not have any energy and the next thing she remembered she was naked, leaning against the wall in the shower because she could not stand up on her own.

    She was struggling to stay awake and Rowe was bathing her, but she could not remember how her top came off. Rowe gave her a towel to dry off and a shirt to put on but she recalled wanting to lie down and barely making it to the edge of the bed.

    She awoke to Rowe having oral sex with her and told him to stop but he did not and then he started having sex with her even though she was saying stop.

    The next time she awoke, outside was bright and she was scared and very confused. She did not know where her phone or bag were but Rowe gave them to her and she eventually took a call from her uncle but kept it brief because she didn’t want to tell him what happened.

    A friend called about an appointment, wanting to know why she wasn’t there as usual. When she asked Rowe about what he had done he laughed and continued laughing, saying that they did not actually have sex.

    She told him she was hungry and wanted to go home but Rowe said he would do so when he was ready. His mother handed him breakfast which he handed to her but she did not eat much of it.

    At one point, Rowe had a black gun in his hand and then put it in the safe in the closet but she felt even more afraid after seeing the weapon.

    Her clothes were wet and she was still wearing his shirt which she kept on and put on the wet jeans when Rowe eventually took her home. She called her doctor and told him what happened and he prescribed prophylaxis to block STDs and a sedative. She also reached out to her therapist who set up a virtual counselling session with her.

    She felt confused and scared because she had been violated, the witness stated, adding that her mental health and physical health were endangered.

    She read a statement she penned after the incident and took along to the police station, outlining what she told the court yesterday because she thought it would be easier. Following the incident, she spoke to two attorneys, she told the court.

    She returned to the house with the police and Rowe was there along with his mother and another woman. They made her uncomfortable and at different times the officer told the mother to be quiet.

    She visited Dr Adana Grandison in October.

    Source: Nation

  33. David Avatar
    David

    No blackmail stunt

    Alleged rape victim testifies in Rowe’s case

    by ANTOINETTE CONNELL

    antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com

    THE ALLEGED VICTIM in parliamentarian Neil Rowe’s rape case denied that she cried rape in order to blackmail him into getting an SUV and, in a long and tearful testimony, also spoke out about the leaking of her police statement on social media that caused her to be shunned.

    She said that she felt that she was being punished all over again following the rape when the statement bearing her name and address and some details were shared on social media along with her pictures.

    “That was very difficult to deal with and I felt like I was being punished again not only did I have to deal with reporting it but everybody was able to see some of my information, my name, my address . . . my pictures were being passed around . . . I felt not to come out the house . . . . I stayed inside for a very long time,” the witness said of the leak.

    Cried at intervals

    The woman, in her 30s, was giving testimony yesterday on the second day of trial before Justice Pamela Beckles and cried at different intervals of her more than three hours on the witness stand saying there was a period when she did not want to leave the house.

    Rowe, the Barbados Labour Party sitting Member of Parliament for St Michael North West and the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, has pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse with the woman on September 18, 2022, at his Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church home without her consent or was reckless as to whether she consented.

    The court had been cleared so that only the empanelled jury of five women and four men, court officials including marshals and members of the media were present for first, her evidence in chief which was an hour and 23 minutes and then her cross examination which lasted almost two hours. The witness had two family members with her for support and sat through her testifying.

    “My life has never been the same from the time it happened . . . I found I wasn’t sleeping properly. I had to get medication from my doctor to help me sleep. I was very jittery. I found that I couldn’t focus.

    “I got into two car accidents back to back before I wrote off my car. I wasn’t sleeping, I couldn’t get insurance. Socially people avoided me,” she said in response to questions from prosecutor Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis.

    Later when she was cross-examined by Safiya Moore, one of the three women on the defence team led by Michael Lashley KC, the virtual complainant repeatedly denied that she was attempting to blackmail Rowe to get a vehicle or that she was the one pursuing him. In relation to questions about being wife material, she said she was not interested in marriage as she was going through a divorce.

    Not upset

    She also told the court she was not upset after asking him about a relationship with a former colleague based on Whatsapp messages between the two, read by Moore.

    “That is not true,” she said time and time again in response to suggestions.

    She said that it was quite possible that she hung up on the doctor who called about a physical examination appointment in connection with the alleged rape as she was quite agitated at the time. She wanted to attend her church convention and felt overwhelmed, she said.

    The witness also accused Rowe of taking out a gun following the rape and that intimidated her, so in fear her life she did not make any attempts to call or speak with anyone. She did not, on the night of the rape, texted her friend that she had gotten home safely because she obviously did not, she said.

    The case has been adjourned until tomorrow.

    Source: Nation

  34. David Avatar
    David

    Abrahams: She said it was Rowe

    Minister asked how woman was getting home

    By Antoinette Connell antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com

    Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams said he was told by a woman that sitting Member of Parliament Neil Gabriel Rowe sexually assaulted her.

    The minister was the fifth witness to testify in the matter which is taking place in the No. 5 Supreme Court where Rowe, the parliamentary representative for St Michael North West, pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse with a woman on September 18, 2022, without her consent or was reckless as to whether she consented.

    Abrahams arrived at the Supreme Court Complex yesterday after 9 a.m. for Day 3 of the trial and began his testimony around 10:12 a.m. He first told the court about the virtual complainant’s role within the Barbados Labour Party of helping to canvass, taking part in fundraisers and assisting with the party’s annual conference.

    She had aspirations of entering elective politics, got involved in everything and was organised, had a business-like approach and brought a level of experience that helped his branch too, Abrahams, who is also an attorney, testified.

    He spent the next 18 minutes on the stand during which he said that on September 17, 2022, he attended a “Surf Rat” event at High Gate in the area between St Michael and St George. When he arrived, the virtual complainant was already there as well as Rowe and others, and there were at least 15 people around the table at which they were standing.

    Going to bathroom

    At some point, he said he was going to the bathroom and Rowe and the woman also wanted to do so.

    The virtual complainant went into one of the chemical toilets, stumbled out of it and then went back into the facility, he said.

    Abrahams added that when he was finished using the toilet, he left the two talking, washed his hands and went back to the table with the other two returning shortly afterwards to the area where a group had gathered earlier.

    The minister said he decided to leave, at which point he inquired of the complainant how she was getting home.

    Her response was that she was “covered” and would be travelling with the person who brought her to the event.

    The next call he got from the alleged victim, she sounded upset and said she “needed” to talk to him, he told the court.

    He could not remember if it was the day of the alleged rape or if it was the next day, but the woman started off by telling him she did not know if she should speak with him because she did not want to put him in “a spot” or a “bind”. When she told him she was sexually assaulted, he asked her which Neil she meant.

    In response to King’s Counsel Michael Lashley’s cross-examination, Abrahams said nobody was dancing at the table but there was space for dancing. He could not say he knew a “Barry” or that he was introduced to such a person that night, the witness stated.

    He gave his statement to the police about a year after the incident and he did not give a specific date when the virtual complainant spoke with him.

    Friendly relationship

    He agreed that he had a friendly relationship with the virtual complainant and when he left her that night, she was all right.

    Abrahams also agreed that he never told police about the woman going to the chemical toilet or about her stumbling. Yesterday was the first time he mentioned the stumble, he stated.

    A jury of five women and four men is hearing the evidence while Justice Pamela Beckles is presiding.

    Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis is prosecuting while Rowe, of #658 Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church, and the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, is being represented by Lashley and his team of attorneys Safiya Moore, Sade Harris and Johnelle King. The trial was adjourned until Monday.
    Getting into Neil Rowe’s vehicle the night he allegedly attacked her at his home was a “mistake I gravely regret”.

    The woman was testifying under cross-examination in the No. 5 Supreme Court on Wednesday, as the rape trial of Member of Parliament Neil Rowe, 45, continued.

    The case involving the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly began on Monday. He pleaded not guilty to having sexual intercourse with a woman on September 18, 2022, at his home in Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church, without her consent or was reckless as to whether she consented.

    The woman admitted she got into the vehicle that night even though she had felt uneasy about Rowe on a prior occasion because he had made sexual advances toward her at his home and she rejected them.

    In a lengthy cross-examination by attorney Safiya Moore, part of the Michael Lashley, KC, four-member defence team that also comprised attorneys Sade Harris and Johnelle King, the witness said on the night of September 17, she was at an event at Highgate and Rowe was there.

    ‘Not six-thirtying’ She denied also that she was “sixthirtying” on Rowe where she was bent over and dancing on him.

    Rowe had made his way to their area at the fête and when they were discussing leaving, he offered to drop her home, she said. She added she was feeling woozy but did not say anything to anyone at the time she accepted the ride, and it was not true Rowe told her he was tired heading home.

    The male friend who gave her the ride to the event never insisted that he brought her so he would take her back, she testified. She said she did not remember sending that friend a message that night saying she had arrived home safely as she had not.

    She told the court that on the night she was feeling ill, she did not lose the ability to speak but was not speaking and could not get off the toilet she had asked to use urgently.

    She continued that when she awoke the morning after the incident, she did not feel ill but was uncomfortable, and admitted she kept on the shirt Rowe gave her and did not have on underwear. She said she could not find them or her jeans.

    The woman told the court she was afraid, and while Rowe did not threaten her with words, she felt very intimidated and had asked to go home more than once. Rowe never said why she could not leave the bedroom and his mother did bring breakfast to the room, she added.

    When asked whether she communicated to the mother about her discomfort, the witness asked: “In her home about her son?”

    She said she did not for her safety and telling the mother that was the last thing on her mind.

    When asked whether she screamed or fought with Rowe, the witness said she did not have the energy.

    She said she met him in 2022 but denied during their second outing she took off her dress at his house and wanted to have sex, insisting she never had any such conversation.

    In 2024, she was in the presence of Rowe at a fête and earlier this year, she attended the Budget presentation at the House of Assembly where he was also in attendance, the witness said. She was no longer afraid of him at that point, the woman testified.

    She said Rowe did not stop speaking to her because she kept asking about a woman and while the two sent messages, she did not recall the nature of the messages.

    She recalled telling Rowe that he had a grandiose opinion of himself at some point after they had gone out a few times.

    Source: Nation

  35. David Avatar
    David

    She was getting a ride, says friend

    Friend Ron Griffith said he drove the alleged victim in the Neil Rowe rape trial to a party and was prepared to drop her back home, but she said she was getting a ride.

    He told the No. 5 Supreme Court yesterday, that on September 17, 2022, they had a couple of drinks at a bar in St James and went to a party at Dash Valley, after he collected the woman from home. They bought a flask of whiskey at the event and were invited to a table at which was Government Minister Wilfred Abrahams.

    Griffith was giving evidence in the case where Rowe, of No. 658 Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church, is accused of having sexual intercourse with a woman on September 18, 2022, in Christ Church without her consent or was reckless as to whether she consented.

    Griffith said his friend was interacting with the people at the party but he knew only Abrahams.

    Around 3:30 a.m. he was ready to leave and the woman said she would get a ride with someone else who was at the party, but he did not get the person’s name. That, he added, would have been easier for him since he lived in the opposite direction from the woman.

    It was not a stranger who was giving his friend a ride as she said she knew the person, so he felt comfortable with the changed arrangement.

    Griffith said it was either a call or message that he received saying she was going to get something to eat and would let him know when she got home.

    It was the first time he had picked her up from home, but usually when they were out, his friend would let him know when she arrived home.

    He got a call from the woman asking him whether he remembered her dropping something near the chemical toilet, which he did not recall, he said.

    Days later, his friend told him she had been sexually assaulted on the Sunday by Rowe but he did not know who Rowe was.

    His friend had asked him to accompany her to the police station but he was busy at the time.

    Under cross-examination, Griffith said he had seen his friend drink alcohol and he never had any difficulty taking her home. He was not concerned that she was getting a ride with someone else because she said she knew the person.

    The witness stated he did not see her stumbling or slurring her speech and she seemed “normal”, not drunk and falling down.

    He said he would not have left the virtual complainant to get a ride if she was incapacitated.

    Griffith said people were drinking, dancing and watching the stage and he danced and the complainant danced a bit with people. He did not recall specific people his friend danced with or whether the person who was giving her the ride had also danced with her. She did point out the person she was going to leave with, he added.

    Another witness, “NB”, a long-time friend of the woman who has accused Rowe of rape, said she received a message from her friend saying she had something to tell her but did not want her to be alarmed.

    The witness said she and the alleged victim made plans to talk and when they did, her friend said Rowe had raped her following the party she had also intended on attending.

    “NB” said her friend was not talkative and usually kept to herself. During that conversation, her friend also said she was not up for questions but needed someone to accompany her to the Oistins Police Station.

    At the station, the virtual complainant presented a written statement and said she wanted to make a report.

    “NB” said she also accompanied her friend to Rowe’s house with the police to point out areas.

    Source: Nation

  36. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    Technological challenges in the court.

    https://barbadostoday.bb/2025/04/12/judge-let-those-who-have-ears-to-hear-hear/

  37. David Avatar
    David

    No trace of accused’s DNA

    THERE WAS NO DNA connecting rape accused Neil Rowe to the underwear of the alleged victim and no semen was found on it.

    The testing of the underwear excluded Rowe as the source of the DNA found on it, which was consistent with an “unknown” female, a forensic biology expert testified yesterday.

    The swabs taken from the crotch of the submitted underwear and its waistband were also negative for semen, the court heard from Katherine Cross, of Guardian Forensic Science, who said she has more than 32 years in the field.

    She said that in October 2023, Inspector Wayne Griffith submitted a blood sample labelled ‘Neil Rowe’ and a bikini underwear and she prepared a report dated March 2024.

    Cross, who has testified as an expert witness at least 200 times, told the court that not in every instance of examination in respect of sex offences will one find semen in the underwear.

    She said DNA is usually found based on the degree of fluid and will vary.

    In response to defence attorney Safiya Moore who was cross-examining her, Cross stated that whether semen was found or not could depend on whether ejaculation occurred, in which case semen would more than likely be found on an item.

    In the case of oral sex, she said that whether saliva was found in the underwear would depend on if it was put on immediately after the incident.

    Cross said testing the waistband of the underwear was routine in a sex assault case, but she was given no information that the alleged perpetrator removed the underwear from the victim. She added that testing could go either way as it depended on how long and aggressive was the touch. Police had asked for a blood sample from Rowe when he first came into custody in October 2022 and he responded “no problem”, according to the testimony of former station sergeant Arthur Springer.

    That sample was taken, sealed and kept in police custody.

    Source: Nation

  38. David Avatar
    David

    No sex with her!

    Ex-cop: Rape accused Rowe denied having intercourse with woman

    by ANTOINETTE CONNELL

    antoinetteconnell@nationnews.com

    NEIL GABRIEL ROWE maintained throughout his interview with police that he did not rape his accuser.

    The judge, jury, prosecutors, defence counsel, members of the media and others in the No. 2 Supreme Court yesterday watched the 127-minute video recording of Rowe being questioned by police and, in a subsequent 27-minute recording, him being formally charged with rape on October 22, 2022.

    Viewers saw Rowe, clad in a black T-shirt, sitting through that interview with his arms folded and his back against the wall as he sported a red cap and wore a medical mask while lead investigator, former Station Sergeant Arthur Springer, questioned him.

    Springer took the stand for most of yesterday in a lengthy testimony that spanned Rowe first coming into custody at one station, his interview at another, a visit to his home in the presence of the woman who accused him of rape and a return to the police station.

    During the visit to the house, the woman repeated her rape claims, said Springer, and he asked Rowe if he heard and understood them.

    Rowe responded, said the former policeman, saying: “I did not have sex with . . . . [She] knows very well I did not have sex with her.”

    The accused told police that when he asked the woman if she did not recall him “making love” to her, he was “playing with her mind and joking with her”, the witness said.

    Asked questions

    Springer said while he was at the Glebe Police Station on October 22, 2022, Rowe arrived with attorney Arthur Holder and was interviewed about the rape allegation, initially being asked more than 45 questions, and that information written in his official notebook which Rowe signed.

    Springer said he left the Barbados Police Service in December 2023, turned in all his associated items, including uniforms and notebooks, but wrote a statement based on the notes and he referred to that statement yesterday.

    Rowe, he said, agreed to the video recording and they went to Oistins Police Station where he was cautioned. During the recording, one of his first responses was that he did not have sex with the woman, neither did he rape her, adding that they met in July 2022, were dating and went to breakfast and lunch, and he took lunch for her and her children one afternoon.

    Rowe, said Springer, recalled seeing the woman at High Gate walking in his direction at one point and saw her consuming whiskey, but could not say how much. While she appeared under the influence, she was not drunk and she told the person who brought her that she was going home with Rowe, but he did not go straight home as the woman said she was hungry, the former officer recounted.

    They passed through St Lawrence but the hamburger man was closed, Rowe told him.

    Springer said the parliamentarian stated that at his home, the woman wanted to use the bathroom and she went to it as she had been at the house more than once.

    As the woman was on the toilet, Rowe said he stood by the door and asked her if she was “okay” as she was on the toilet for a “few minutes” and he at first thought she was passing water but she looked sleepy, the former lawman recounted.

    Showered together

    The woman got into the shower, took off her clothes and they showered together after which he gave her a towel she used to dry her skin, Springer recalled Rowe as saying.

    He said Rowe told him the woman did not appear dazed or incoherent. Rowe told him she asked for something to wear, he gave her a shirt, she got into the bed and fell asleep but “not immediately”.

    He said Rowe denied he performed oral sex on the woman and repeated “I said no, sir” in response to the question. It was not true that the woman awoke to him performing oral sex on her and asked him to stop, and neither did he have sex or attempted to have sex with her, Rowe told him.

    “I will say it again, I did not have sex with Miss . . . ,” Springer quoted Rowe as saying.

    He added that when he asked Rowe about recalling if the woman asked him why he performed oral sex on her, he responded that was in a text message.

    When they were at the accused’s home, the virtual complainant pointed out the bedroom, stating that she remembered it because she was there before and she also pointed out the bathroom. Back at the station, Rowe said “not at the moment” when asked about his attorney and gave no written statement, Springer said.

    Source: Nation

  39. David Avatar
    David

    Sergeant: Complainant was in state of emotion

    Sergeant Julia Wood, who took the statement of the alleged rape victim in Member of Parliament Neil Rowe’s case, said she spent a while consoling the woman during the process as she was emotional.

    The witness said she was the only available female officer at the time when the complainant entered Oistins Police Station with a typed statement on September 24, 2022, and she initialled it. That day, the complainant also handed over a bikini underwear, a fluorescent green shirt, a “damaged” jeans and a grey short sleeved T-shirt from her home.

    On October 8, she and the complainant went to Dr Adanna Grandison and after an examination, the doctor wrote in the public medical journal. On October 22, she, the complainant, officers and others visited the residence of the accused, whose mother gave them permission to enter.

    There, the complainant pointed out the bathroom, which she said she used and the bedroom where she said she was raped. She recalled Rowe taking off her clothes and giving her a towel to dry after being in the shower with her, Wood said.

    The woman said when she awoke to Rowe performing oral sex on her and then having sex with her, she told him to stop that she did not want to have sex but he did not stop, Wood told the court.

    Rowe responded, said the sergeant, that the women “know well” he did not have sex with her.

    Wood said in taking the first statement from the woman, she was emotional and traumatised and she had to reassure her because of her mental state.

    Under cross-examination, Wood said that at the house she gave instructions for photographs to be taken and there was a bedroom next to Rowe’s but she did not know whose it was.

    She said she took the complainant to Grandison’s office and was present during the examination, a report of which the doctor wrote in the journal.

    The witness recalled that Dr LaTonia Arthur was not available but did not remember Arthur speaking about a conversation with the complainant or the complainant not being available.

    She explained to the woman the need to get as much forensic evidence, said Wood, but she was menstruating the day she went to the station and was not examined.

    Wood said the clothes collected were to be tested and that there was a blood sample taken from Rowe.

    Wood said she did not recall asking for the release of the complainant’s medical evidence but it came up that she was not going to give police permission to get the information from Dr Michael Charles. The woman did not point out any injuries on her body.

    She did not ask her about a firearm, said Wood.

    In relation to the typed statement, Wood said it was her experience that some people did that and she was not aware the complainant had sought legal advice.

    She could not recall the complainant saying she was not available for examination but if that was recorded then that could be the case, Wood told the court.

    Source: Nation

  40. David Avatar
    David

    Ex-cop admits not checking security cameras

    Parliamentarian Neil Rowe was charged after it was decided there was enough circumstantial evidence and after the alleged victim in his rape trial had denied police access to the findings of an examination by her doctor – the only physical exam done.

    That was part of the hour-long testimony of former Station Sergeant Arthur Springer, the lead investigator at the time and who returned to the witness stand yesterday for cross-examination after giving evidence in chief on Monday.

    Springer who, up to that point on October 22, 2022, was a policeman for 30 years, continued his evidence, admitting he did not canvass Rowe’s neighbourhood for security footage that might show Rowe and the woman entering his home, had no footage from St Lawrence Gap, Christ Church, to prove or disprove claims by the accused or the woman; took no witness statement from Rowe’s mother and stepfather which would have been prudent in the investigation and he never asked Rowe about a gun.

    The nine-member jury heard from Safiya Moore’s questioning of Springer that he went to High Gate, where Rowe allegedly gave the virtual complainant a ride following a party but there was no video footage to be harvested.

    The witness did not speak with security officers, or contact organiser “Mr Surf Rat” to find out about social media photos.

    He did not, said Springer, recalled Rowe sharing an entire WhatsApp thread with the virtual complainant to him which would have been relevant had there been something pertinent in it.

    Video footage

    Springer did not go back to Kingsland Terrace, Christ Church, the accused’s address, to canvass for video footage and he did not have a reason for not doing so, but agreed that could have been independent information.

    The witness agreed with the attorney that Rowe said they did not stop in St Lawrence Gap but the complainant spoke about stopping in the area.

    Springer said to corroborate either of the statements, he sent an officer to check video footage in St Lawrence Gap, between 4 a.m. to 5 a.m. when Rowe said he went there, but he could not recall if Rowe provided his registration number or the colour and make of his vehicle.

    There was no footage to be harvested, said Springer, who also stated there’s a police outpost in the area and police had access to strategically placed cameras.

    Date not recalled

    The officer, who looked at the footage, could not say whether the vehicle entered or left St Lawrence and he (Springer) could not recall the date the officer checked for the footage.

    Rowe, he said, willingly gave a blood sample, adding during the house visit he cooperated and from the start denied having sex with the virtual complainant. He added that he had done cases where people started off saying one thing but changed later.

    Rowe did that when he said he spoke to the complainant about “making love” to her and that he was playing with her mind and joking, said the former officer.

    He never asked Rowe about a firearm, intimidation or keeping the woman in the house against her will and he did not have the latter information, he said. It came from Rowe that the woman said she was hungry.

    Springer said he did not record statements from Rowe’s mother or stepfather who lived in the house where the rape allegedly took place, agreeing that for a fair investigation it would have been prudent to record such statements as he had statements from the doctor, psychiatrist, two friends and a Member of Parliament.

    In relation to questions as to whether he had proof through medical findings that sex had taken place at the time Rowe was charged, the former officer said he wouldn’t know because that was for a doctor to decide.

    It was at this stage of the cross-examination that there were objections by Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis.

    Springer went on to state he was not aware of any medical evidence that sex had taken place when he charged Rowe, but the complainant was seen by her doctor, the findings of which were not released to the police.

    He did not recall public medical officer Dr LaTonia Arthur saying that the complainant was rude and dismissive and had hung up on her but he did recall the complainant was traumatised.

    Springer said Dr Adanna Grandison was one of the public medical officers and part of the protocol for such investigations was to verify whether any forensic evidence could be gathered. When a complainant visits her doctor, a request is made for the findings but in this case the request was denied, “the reason I don’t know”, Springer said.

    He said after the investigation there was instruction that there was enough circumstantial evidence to charge Rowe and the determination to charge someone is made by an officer at the rank of inspector – he was a station sergeant.

    Springer said he did not speak with the virtual complainant because of her mental state.

    Source: Nation

  41. Goeht Avatar
    Goeht

    I think I am losing my mind as I get older. I read the above and nothing sticked?
    Why should the police look at videos? I have a good collection of DVDs and I no longer look at them. Why would I want to see your lousy DVDs/videos?

    Did I miss something? Did I get it wrong? I know we have a few that will let me know.
    I am gonna blame it on my aging (again).

  42. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    “Initial reports say two children, ages 11 and 14, were injured in the shooting incident at Nelson Street, St Michael.”

    https://nationnews.com/2025/04/16/shooting-at-nelson-street/

  43. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley has once again called on the nation’s youth to put down illegal guns and urged older members of society to help remove these weapons from homes and streets.

    She made the passionate plea while speaking at the funeral service for 13-year-old Shawnaton Chase, which took place today at the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, Wildey Gymnasium.”

  44. David Avatar
    David

    It is an empty call given the current situation. What is required is a full press from all sectors of society.

  45. Bush Tea Avatar
    Bush Tea

    The emperor has no clothes.

  46. David Avatar
    David

    The Neville Rowe case seems to be a circumstantial one. Unless there is more to come.

  47. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    again and again and awrassewhole again.

  48. Hants Avatar
    Hants

    ” Long-standing Democratic Labour Party member and candidate, attorney-at-law Michael Lashley, will not be contesting the next general election on that party’s ticket.”

    He will have more time to defend criminals.

  49. David Avatar
    David

    TEENS on Murder charge (Source: Nation)

    ONE DAY AFTER 13-year-old Shawnathon Chase was laid to rest, two teenagers appeared in the Oistins Magistrates’ Court, Christ Church, charged in connection with his murder.

    There was a strong police presence at Oistins, when Kyirico Donte Darrell Clarke, 18, and 16-year-old Daquan Joshua Nurse, both of Briar Hall Gardens, Christ Church, made their way across the yard from the police station to the courtroom.

    As usual, there were people who came out to watch the daily court rituals, and especially the teens yesterday, but they were kept well away from the accused.

    As their parents and family members looked on, the youngsters maintained a calm disposition in court when their charges were read by Magistrate Deidre McKenna.

    They were not required to plead to the indictable offences of murdering Chase on March 25, endangering the lives of Joel Bourne, Jamarie Bourne and Jakeil Callender, and the use of a firearm to cause serious bodily harm on the same date.

    Clarke was represented by King’s Counsel Michael Lashley, while Nurse was unrepresented.

    The two teens were then escorted out of court to be taken to Dodds Prison where they will be on remand until their next scheduled court appearance on May 15.

    Chase, a student of The Lodge School, was gunned down on March 25 while watching a netball game at the hard courts in Silver Hill, Christ Church, a stone’s throw from his home.

    His death, at the time recorded as the 12th homicide for 2025, sent shockwaves throughout the country, resulting in at least two marches in the Silver Hill area, as well as an outpouring of anger as well as support for his grieving family.

    Chase was laid to rest at Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens on Wednesday following a service at Gymnasium of the Garfield Sobers Sports Complex in Wildey, St Michael, attended by his parents, relatives, school mates, neighbours, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, other Members of Parliament as well as the general public. ( AJ)

    MURDER ACCUSED Daquan Joshua Nurse, 16,
    (left) and 18-year-old Kyirico Donte Darrell Clarke
    (right) being escorted by police after their appearance yesterday at the Oistins Magistrates’ Court.
    (Picture by Reco Moore.)

  50. David Avatar
    David

    Mothers cry out over City shooting

    by TRE GREAVES

    tregreaves@nationnews.com

    WHILE THE MOTHERS are happy the two boys injured in Wednesday’s shooting in Beckwith Street, Bridgetown are alive, they want more pressure placed on the man responsible for their injuries.

    The aggrieved women shared those sentiments yesterday at Bailey’s Corner Shop, a few metres away from where the shots struck a 14-year-old and an 11-year-old.

    Michelle Samuel, mother of the 14-year-old who was more seriously injured, released her frustrations.

    “They could have lost their lives yesterday (Wednesday) and they are just two children. They did nothing. They were watching TV and eating and they were in the vicinity of someplace they should have been safe,” she said.

    Samuel referenced 13-year-old Shawnathon Chase’s funeral which also occurred on Wednesday. He had been fatally shot on March 25, while watching a netball game a stone’s throw from his home in Silver Hill, Christ Church.

    “It wasn’t even an hour after the little boy from Lodge get buried yesterday . . . . No parent should have to go through this ordeal,” she lamented.

    She was supported by several residents who said the shooter did not reside in the area but was in an altercation with another man. It occurred around 5:35 p.m. on the streets where he fired the shots.

    The gunman missed his target and the bullets ricocheted into the house and shop. Eyewitnesses said the shooter rode off on a bicycle.

    Samuel charged that the shooter was in hiding and being shielded.

    “I thank the Father that both of them – the boys – are alive, I am thankful that they are back home and it wasn’t more serious. But something really needs to be done about this. Then after, he did what he did – he gone hiding. Why you gone and hide? And then people hiding him. Something should happen to all of them,” she said.

    Her son returned to the spot where he was seated when the shooting occurred. He received two stitches and there was a bandage around his head.

    While in his mother’s presence, he told the DAILY NATION: “I would like for the police to catch the fellow that do it.”

    Although he was feeling much better, the memory of when he recognised he was hit was still fresh. He was seated in his usual spot with his 11-year-old friend.

    “We hear the shots and then Aunty Cam rushed us and we went inside and she shut the shop. She took us in the bedroom and when I put my hand on head, I see that my head was bleeding,” he recalled.

    Shopkeeper Marguerite Henry, who is referred to as ‘Aunty Cam’, added: “When he put his hand on his head and I saw the blood, I collapsed. I don’t normally suffer from blood pressure, but my pressure went up. It was so frightening.

    “When I catch myself the police was asking if I wanted the ambulance,” she said.

    Khalice Bailey, mother of the 11-year-old boy, also expressed concern that the incident could have been much worse.

    She said her son also attends The Lodge School and hours earlier, was in attendance at Chase’s funeral.

    “He only came here because he went to the funeral of his schoolmate. He was eating a meat roll and drinking a Busta minding his business,” she said.

    Although his physical injuries were not severe, she said the incident left mental scars.

    “He is doing okay right now, but my son was so traumatised because the bullet grazed him. The back of his head wasn’t cut but it was swollen,” she said.

    She called for more pressure to be put on anyone responsible for the incident.

    “I don’t think we should take this lightly. I could be having to bury my son. That is my only son, my only child. That was attempted murder. You want to shoot your target but can’t get your target to shoot and hurt innocent people,” she added.

    One resident said too many people were pointing fingers at the Government but were not looking in the mirror.

    “A lot of people are blaming the Government and the Prime Minister. She is not bringing the guns in. Everybody has to do better – the church, schools and the parents. Because as soon as you got to speak to somebody child, you get cuss out or you are the enemy.

    “But until it comes home, they won’t understand it. The only thing that we can do is to come together and fight against this,” she said.

    ONE OF THE bullets pierced this barrel located inside Bailey’s Corner Shop. (Pictures by Tre Greaves.)

    THE 14-YEAR-OLD shooting victim was seated in this position at Bailey’s Corner Shop on Wednesday evening when he was struck in the back of his head by a stray bullet.

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