TCI News
Chris Forbes: TCIs worst criminal gets dramatic relocation to Maximum Security in the UK
#TurksandCaicosIslands – January 13, 2021 – When Christopher Forbes recently took a Covid-19 PCR test, he likely thought the negative result gave him the all clear as being among those sickened by a coronavirus outbreak at the prison facility in Grand Turk. Turns out it was also his all clear to be carted off in a carefully planned and flawlessly executed transfer not to another site in the tropical Caribbean, but to an impenetrable, maximum security facility for a man of his heinous criminal nature in the United Kingdom.
In a media statement the Governor, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Prison Superintendent opened up, ever so slightly about the shocking removal of infamous Forbes, who is a Turks and Caicos Islander but originally from Grand Bahama Island in The Bahamas.
“Today, Christopher Forbes a prisoner in HMP Grand Turk is being transferred to a prison in the UK. This is where he will serve the remainder of his sentence. He is being escorted by members of the Her Majesty Prison and Probation Service. On arrival, he will reside in a category A prison in England,” said David Bowden, Prison Superintendent.
PrisonPhone website published: There are eight category A prisons in the UK. The facilities are high security prisons where the most dangerous and difficult to manage prisoners are kept. These prisons hold some of the most notorious criminals in the UK, many of whom are serving life sentences. These prisons are designed to make escape impossible for the prisoners, and are commonly described as ‘high security’ or ‘maximum security’ establishments.
It is the second transfer of high maintenance inmates in recent months for the Turks and Caicos prison system under the new superintendent. Residents seem relieved at the steady and sturdy push toward prison reform.
The Governor, His Excellency Nigel Dakin, stated, “the stability of Her Majesty’s Prison is a critical piece in our strategy towards safeguarding national security and we will continue to exercise all avenues available to us in order to accomplish our national goals and secure our institutions and our communities. I am grateful to the UK Government for their support in this matter.”
Forbes, who is easily the worst felon in Turks and Caicos history was convicted of the brutal double homicides in 2016 of Yuneiry Veras in April and Sorineida Moreno Arias in July. Both women from the Dominican Republic were 26-years old when they met their deaths. Both were sexually assaulted, beaten and brutalized and left partially clothed in remote areas of northwest Providenciales.
Search parties mobilised by the Dominican community found both victims. The deaths incited protests which vociferously demanded an arrest by TCI Police. The activism worked and in August 2016 Forbes was arrested. Found, living in plain sight at his girlfriend’s house in the residential community of Millennium Heights.
It was overwhelming DNA evidence which was the undoing of this cold-blooded, sloppy killer. Christopher Forbes’ DNA was found under the finger nails, on clothing, a towel and in a condom left at the crime scene. Due to the struggle for her life, genetic material of the killer was detected in the jewelry his last victim – Sorineida – a mother of two young children; the jury heard how she had peeled away Forbes’ skin which was found in her rings.
Additionally, CCTV cameras captured Forbes’ vehicle picking up a victim in Five Cays. Phone records revealed Forbes was in contact with both women on the nights they went missing and were murdered and a boast, scribbled in the passport of the first victim – Yuneiry Veras – and found in the area of Sweet T’s restaurant was the final piece of the puzzle; police moved in and made the arrest.
In prison, Christopher Forbes was a menace and disturbingly, a jailhouse rock star.
A string of prison violations for abuses against prison superintendents and deputy superintendents led to at least two convictions. Forbes regularly made appearances on Facebook live, had his own stash of expensive liquors like Hennessy, a big screen television, gold jewelry, expensive sunglasses and appeared to be having a ball as a ‘baller’, high on marijuana while living a glamourous life in TCI prison and on the public’s dime.
Meanwhile the families and friends of Sorienda and Yuniery remain traumatized by the vicious killings, which were unprovoked and described by a juror as serial killings by a dangerous man who should spend the rest of his living years behind bars.
In 2020, an historic ruling by Justice Tanya Lobban-Jackson achieved that feat; Christopher Forbes received a double life sentence without any chance for parole. Now around 38-years old, Christopher Forbes will have to settle into one of eight category A prisons in the United Kingdom.
“I am most grateful to the transfer team from the UK. I have also been very impressed by the inter-governmental departments, working very closely with the MoHA, to make this transfer as efficient as it was,” added Superintendent Bowden, who categorised Forbes as a high risk inmate who posed a great risk to the development of HMP Prison as a safe, secure and rehabilitative institution.
The transfer of the prisoner was approved by UK Ministers, as permissible under UK legislation, and supported by the Governor and Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands.
PRESS RELEASE
MINISTRY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, 25 April 2024 – The Ministry of Health and Human Services is issuing a public advisory regarding a recent increase in chicken pox cases, particularly within school communities in the regions of Grand Turk and Providenciales. The Ministry is actively monitoring the situation and is working closely with affected schools to provide support and education aimed at preventing further spread of the virus.
Chicken pox, caused by the varicella-zoster virus, is a highly contagious infection characterized by a distinctive rash of itchy red spots or blisters. Transmission occurs via droplets, aerosols, or direct contact with respiratory secretions, and almost always produces clinical disease in susceptible individuals. While mostly a mild disorder in childhood, varicella tends to be more severe in adults. It may be fatal, especially in neonates and in immunocompromised persons. The Ministry urges parents, teachers, and the general public to remain vigilant and familiarize themselves with the signs and symptoms of chicken pox, which may include:
- Rash: The primary symptom of chicken pox is a rash that typically begins as small red spots, which then develop into fluid-filled blisters over several days.
- Fever: Children with chicken pox may experience a mild to moderate fever, often preceding the appearance of the rash.
- Fatigue: Some individuals may feel generally unwell, tired, or lethargic.
- Loss of Appetite: A decreased desire to eat may accompany other symptoms of chicken pox.
Management aims to relieve symptoms and reduce the risk of complications and may include:
- drinking plenty of fluid (try popsicles if your child is not drinking) to avoid dehydration.
- taking paracetamol to help with pain and discomfort.
- cut your child’s fingernails and put socks on their hands at night to stop them scratching.
- use cooling creams or gels e.g. Calamine lotion
- speak to your health care provider about using antihistamine medicine to help itching.
- bathe in cool water and pat the skin dry (do not rub)
- dress in loose clothes.
- do not use ibuprofen unless advised to do so by a doctor, as it may cause serious skin infections.
- do not give aspirin to children under 16.
- do not go near newborn babies, or anyone who is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, as chickenpox can be dangerous for them.
- do not scratch the spots, as scratching can cause scarring.
To mitigate the spread of chicken pox within schools and communities, the Ministry emphasizes the importance of practicing good hygiene habits, including frequent handwashing with soap and water, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue or elbow, and avoiding close contact with infected individuals.
In the event that a child exhibits symptoms of chicken pox, parents and caregivers are advised to keep them at home and seek medical attention promptly. A sick leave for a period of 14 days is usually given. After the 14 day sick leave period, the individual must return to the physician or the public health nurse at one of the primary care clinics to obtain a fit for work or school certificate allowing them re-entry back into school or work. Anyone returning earlier than this time or without this certificate should not be allowed in school so as to prevent spread to other children. Additionally, it is crucial to inform school authorities to prevent further transmission among classmates and staff.
The Ministry of Health and Human Services is committed to ensuring the health and well-being of all citizens, and will continue to work diligently to address this current situation. For further information and guidance on chicken pox prevention and management, please visit Turks and Caicos Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/tciministryofhealth/.
Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Correspondent
#TurksandCaicos, April 25, 2024 – He was busted at the Howard Hamilton Providenciales International Airport on Friday, April 16, 2024.
He allegedly had in his luggage four (4) rounds of 6.5mm ammunition on his departure to his homeland in Oklahoma in the United States of America (USA).
Ryan Watson and his wife were arrested and placed into police lock up. Both were later granted police bail, and upon return to police station the Monday after the couple’s arrest, the husband alone was charged by detective Police Constable Kimberlee Markland for
unlawful possession of the four rounds of ammunition.
Watson was escorted to court on Tuesday, April 23rd, placed before the learned Chief Magistrate Mr. Jolyon Hatmin and remanded to His Majesty’s Prison until his sufficiency hearing on June 7, this (2024) year.
His counsel, Mr. Oliver Smith KC and his junior assistant Mrs. Kimone Tennant immediately sought bail for him in the Supreme Court which was heard the following day (Wednesday April 24) before her Ladyship Ms. Tanya Lobban-Jackson and was granted bail, without hassle in the amount or $15,000.00 cash or surety.
The Crown, in the person of senior public prosecutor Ms. Tassja Mitchell did not oppose bail.
Magnetic Media can report that once again on the afternoon of the Tuesday April 24th, after the accused RYAN TYLER WATSON, 41 was remanded by the Magistrate’s court, the U.S. Embassy issued an warning to it’s citizens and travelers to carefully check their bags when traveling to Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI) as TCI authorities are strictly enforcing firearm and ammunition laws and if found you could go to prison for 12 years.
A real question of great concern and public importance is: should the TCI courts sentence tourists to the full mandatory minimum of 12 years imprisonment for simple possession firearm and/or ammunition.
The succinct answer is: Yes!
The Court of Appeal, just last month said in its written judgment that “ALL PERSONS,” including tourist/visitors must go to prison if found guilty or pleas guilty to firearm and ammunition offences.
However, there remains the concern about how much time in prison a judge should give a visitor regardless of the existence of exceptional circumstances.
Should the judge imprison a visitor to the territory, who may have been wrongly informed, for example, the full mandatory minimum term or must a reduced prison term be imposed.
If TCI judges start to give less than the mandatory minimum to tourists/visitors, it is being strong and widely advocated by senior defense attorneys that the same must apply to local or residents of these Islands, who may also present exceptional circumstances.
Arguments about the equity in delivery of justice is what drove the question to the Court of Appeal late in 2023. The decision came this past February.
‘We cannot find ourselves sentencing tourists regardless of exceptional circumstances to lesser sentences, and when those same exceptional circumstances are found in local cases, it’s being ignored by our judges.’
Human Rights Attorney, Sheena Mair has on more than one occasion argued this point; including in firearm and ammunition bail applications. She would put the very same judges and prosecutors from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution on the spot by reminding the judges and the prosecutors that precedent has been set.
‘You’ve just granted bail to a tourist for firearm and ammunition but now here’s a local person, same charge but because he’s a local he can’t get bail? He has to be remanded pending a trial that could take years before it’s heard?’
Mair has valiantly outlined the wrong in this and clearly stated this practice is “not fair” and it’s “not proper administration of justice in the Turks and Caicos Islands.”
Ms. Mair further complained that tourists would plea guilty to possession of firearm and ammunition and be released on bail pending sentencing but as for a local, he or she has to wait on remand at the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation pending sentencing.
The attorney criticizes the optics of such decisions and is on record reminding the Judge that the Court of Appeal has already set out that the law applies to everyone; visitors and locals alike.
A police statement issued Wednesday April 24 informs: “Today (April 24th), Mr. Watson appeared in the Supreme Court and, following a bail application, was granted $15,000 bail with the following conditions:
1) Not travel out of TCI without the court’s permission.
2) Surrender his passport and all other travel documents to the court
3) Report to Grace Bay Police Station on Tuesdays and Thursdays between the hours of 8 am-4 pm,
4) Reside at the given address in Providenciales; any address change will be provided before the court.”
The American from Oklahoma whose story is trending in the US and has been carried by leading news networks was joined by a host of loved ones at the Courthouse.
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