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REPORT
ON DETENTION CENTRE INCIDENT
Ministry of Labour &
Immigration
9th December, 2004
December
10, 2004
The Ministry of Labour & Immigration wishes to release the following
information with regard to an incident at the Detention Centre today, 9th
December, 2004. There were two separate, but connected events that
occurred today; an attempted escape and a fire in one of the
dormitories.
This
information is compiled from the records of the Royal Bahamas Police
Force (RBPF), the Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) and the Department
of Immigration. The RBPF was responsible for containing the fire
and investigating any criminal aspect of the matter. The RBDF is
responsible for the security and public order at the facility. The
Department of Immigration is responsible for the management and
administration of the facility.
The first
event was the escape of three men, discovered at 9 a.m. Two of the
men were apprehended at 10.10 a.m. The third, Cuban national
Fransisco Napoles Valdez remains at large. The public is asked to
keep a lookout for Mr. Valdez, who should be treated with caution.
The two persons who were recaptured were returned to their dorm, which
houses 56 male detainees.
The second
incident began at approximately 11.15 a.m. The Royal Bahamas
Defence Force and Bahamas Immigration officers assigned to the Detention
Centre were about to collect a group of predominantly Cuban male
detainees in Dorm 2 when they observed that the dorm door had been
secured from the inside to prevent entry. The officers gained
entry into the dorm in an attempt to isolate the person suspected of
causing the problem. Upon gaining entry, they observed the
detainees who were behaving in a hostile and aggressive manner.
The detainees surrounded the officers and tried to prevent them from
removing the offending and belligerent detainee. The dorm was set
alight by the detainees who also hurled fiery objects at the officers.
The dorm was destroyed by the resulting fire before it could be
extinguished. In the event, the officers had to fire rubber rounds
to restore order. There was no loss of life.
The
incident was quelled and the situation brought under control by 11.30
a.m. The Detention Centre is now fully under the control of the
lawful authorities.
As a result
of the incident, 11 RBDF officers sustained injuries; mainly bruises and
lacerations. None of the Defence Force officers required
hospitalisation.
Nine of the detainees sustained injuries. Four of them did not
require hospital treatment. Five of them were taken to the
Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH). The detainees’ known injuries
are as follows: two from rubber rounds; one to the upper right armpit of
one detainee; one to the upper left bicep of another detainee. The
three other detainees taken to PMH sustained injuries believed to be
unrelated to the rubber rounds. One, a minor wound to the stomach;
another, an injury to the left ankle and another an injury below the
sternum.
The Consul
General for Cuba has been advised of the situation at the Detention
Centre regarding the citizens of Cuba.
The Police
are continuing with their investigation and three persons are being held
to assist Police with their enquiries.
Immigration
officials have transferred those suspected of deliberately fomenting the
unrest to Her Majesty’s Prison for safekeeping. They will remain
there until their removal to their place of origin.
The
Government remains committed to fulfilling its international obligations
and will make efforts to repatriate all individuals at the Detention
Centre as soon as possible, once those obligations are completed.
The public
will be kept informed as the investigation unfolds.
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