NASSAU, Bahamas – Four men, who could face life imprisonment, return to court on October 28 to answer manslaughter charges in the deaths of 17 Haitian migrants who perished after their 33-foot speedboat Bare Ambition capsized five nautical miles off New Providence on July 24.
The accused, Donald Watson, 39, the alleged captain, Eulan McKinney, 49, McKenzie Jerome, 53, the suspected owner of the capsized boat, and Wilbens Joseph, 37, one of the alleged organizers of the smuggling trip, appeared in court last Friday.
They faced 18 counts of manslaughter concerning the deaths when they appeared before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt.
Police said the 18th victim was the unborn son of a pregnant woman who died in the incident.
But, Alex Dorsett, the lawyer for Joseph, said the manslaughter charge in respect of the fetus was “an impossibility in law,” arguing that the Penal Code states that a child must be born alive to be the victim of manslaughter or murder.
However, the Chief Magistrate said those arguments should be presented before the Supreme Court, where the case will be tried.
Watson and McKinney are further accused of operating Bare Ambition recklessly without regard to the passengers on board and operating a vessel without a license. Jerome, who did not have a lawyer, told the magistrate that he had no involvement in the matter, and the police alleged that he owned the boat.
He also alleges that the police failed to account for all the money they seized from his home.
Jerome said he had US$90,000, representing the proceeds from the sale of a boat and trailer; however, police said they seized US$45,000.
The accused have all been remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections.
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