Crime
Sexual Harassment Case charges Male Employee with Groping female Co-worker at Ritz Carlton Resort
By Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Reporter
#Turksandcaicos, June 22, 2023 – Wednesday 07th June 2023 in the Magistrate’s Court Providenciales before His Hon Mr Jolyon Hatmin, a sexual assault that allegedly occurred in December 2022; the trial begun against an Indian male GYANARANJAN SINGH and a Turks Island Bahamian young lady Miss J.D. Ferguson.
Representing the crown/the office of the DPP was Miss. Enjaleek Dickenson and Mr. Ashwood Forbes for the defendant.
The pace of the trial had to be relatively slower due to a Hindi interpreter for the defendant’s understanding. He was tasked with orally translating the Hindi language into English language and the English language into the Hindi language throughout the entire, hours’ long proceedings.
The young lady appeared confident and strong when she took the witness box to testify against her alleged attacker. Her evidence to the court was that Mr. Singh, who she clearly identified in court and said he groped/grabbed her
buttocks and pushed his hand in an upward direction.
She described the area that this happened was in a small approximately 15 by 3 ft cooler or chiller, but at the door area at one of the Ritz Carlton Resort kitchen areas. She explained that the door was being held open by a trolley that she pushed there.
The young lady told the court she immediately turned around and snatched or grabbed Mr. Singh and told him to stop. He said sorry he was just playing. She then grabbed his shirt as she was taking him to HR and told him “you know better.”
He then put his two hands around her and had her in a bear-hug preventing her from moving.
He kept saying “no” “sorry” “mistake” repeatedly.
“I told him to let me go and eventually he let me go when the security came and told him to let me go. He then hold my hands as he didn’t want me to go and make a report”.
The young lady further told the court that she came upon another employee of the same nationality as Mr. Singh and she asked him to make a call. He was going to allow her the call but Mr. Singh told him something in their native language and he then stopped from allowing her to make the call. She then became frustrated and made a loud outburst and then she got attention and was able to make her report.
The court was also shown a CCTV footage that only lasted a few seconds with what appeared to be Mr. Singh trying to hold on to Miss. Ferguson as she’s trying to get away.
The trial continues and Magnetic Media will bring you the cross-examination and the conclusion of the trial in a subsequent news report.
The case adjourned part-heard until July 28th 2023.
Wilkie Arthur
Freelance Court Correspondent
#TurksandCaicos, May 21, 2024 – The grieving father and community members in Dock Yard, long before official confirmation, informed Magnetic Media that the individual shot and killed by the police in Snake Hill, off Millennium Highway, Blue Hills, Providenciales, was “ToTo,” officially known as 14-year-old ANTORENS DORCELY.
Permission was granted by the father to disclose the child’s name as he is deceased.
After reports of the shooting and robbery on the night of Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, Medical professionals on the scene confirmed to Magnetic Media that a young male was fatally shot by the police. While initially believed to be between 15 or 16 years old, further investigation revealed that 14-year-old Toto had not been seen or heard from since the night of the incident.
According to the first official press release from TCI Police; they were fired upon in a marked police vehicle and returned fire at a reported stolen car, resulting in the death of an individual.
Over the following days, police issued two additional statements regarding the fatal shooting. One statement mentioned two separate robbery reports in the Blue Hills vicinity on the same night.
This reporter received a voice note from a woman claiming to have been robbed of her car and valuables by two gunmen around the same time the boy was killed by authorities.
Police mentioned in one of their statements that multiple individuals fled the scene that night, but they did not mention recovering a firearm.
Videos obtained by Magnetic Media showed a small orange car with bullet holes and shattered windows, while no damage was observed on any police vehicles.
The father, although acknowledging his son’s involvement in crime, expressed disbelief that his son would shoot at the police, tearfully stating that he didn’t believe the police had to kill his son.
Community members disclosed that Toto turned to crime to support himself and his younger brother after their mother’s death. Residents expressed a desire for the surviving brother to be relocated to a better environment and offered support to ensure his well-being and education.
Toto and his surviving brother, said to be 11 years old were born in the Turks and Caicos, and their tragic circumstances raise questions about the use of lethal force.
Magnetic Media conducted an extensive investigation, including interviews with the deceased boy’s father and community members. There were visits to the shooting scene at Snake Hill, and examination of the alleged stolen orange car, which is now impounded at the police compound.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – Detectives of the Serious Crime Unit of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force have
charged a man who allegedly stole a vehicle.
The accused, DANVANTE BRISCO, 30, of Kew Town, Providenciales, was charged with:
- One Count: Robbery
- One Count: Taking Motor Vehicle Without Authority
- One Count: Using Offensive Weapon to cause fear
Mr. BRISCO appeared in court today (May 13 ) and was granted bail of $7500.00 with one surety.
The matter was adjourned to July 05 for a Sufficiency Hearing.
#TurksandCaicos, May 13, 2024 – A 20-year-old Dock Yard male appeared in court today (May 13th) charged with a series of firearm-related offences.
The accused, JAMES SIMON, was denied bail and remanded into custody pending a Sufficiency Hearing scheduled for July 05th, 2024.
Mr. SIMON faces the following charges:
- One Count: Robbery;
- One Count: Gang Membership
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm for the Benefit of a Gang
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition for the Benefit of a Gang.
The charges against Mr. Simon followed investigations by officers of the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force into a robbery at the parking lot of a Casino where three males robbed a victim.
Additionally, Mr. Simon is charged with the following offences, having been arrested on May 02nd, 2024, along South Dock Road.
- One Count: Possession of a Firearm
- One Count: Possession of Ammunition
- One Count: Unlawful Entry
Officers also charged a teenage minor who was in the company of Mr. Simon on May 02nd with One Count of UNLAWFUL ENTRY.
The accused, seventeen and from Kew Town, Providenciales, pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on May 20th.
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