Bail granted to police constables as protestors demonstrate

St George’s, Grenada: While five police officers have been granted bail of EC$100,000 each on the charge of manslaughter at the St. David’s Magistrate Court, scores of protesters marched outside, chanting for justice, led by the family members of Oscar Bartholomew, a Grenadian born Canadian resident, who was allegedly beaten to death by the five police constables, according to a report in the Antigua Observer.

The five police constables, Edward Gibson, Shaun Ganness, Ruddy Felix, Kenton Hazzard and Wendell Sylvester, are accused of beating Bartholomew, who was on vacation on the island, into a coma at the St. David’s Police Station and he subsequently died at the General Hospital.

The report stated that a first post mortem revealed that Bartholomew died from punctured organs, a fractured skull and bleeding from the head. But a private post mortem conducted on behalf of the family indicated that Bartholomew also suffered multiple injuries to other parts of his body including a broken hand and broken ribs.

According to the Antigua Observer, Christopher Nelson, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), said “I objected to bail citing several considerations … the fact that it is an unusual matter. That there is a risk for public disorder and there is a risk of possible harm to the accused persons”.

Under the bail conditions, the accused must report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) on a weekly basis and surrender their travel documents to the police. The bail conditions also state that they must refrain from interfering with any of the witnesses in the case. The bail would take effect next Friday and the officers will re-appear in court on January 27.