By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

A MAN accused of armed robbery — while already on bail for murder and attempted murder — was denied bail for a third time after the Court of Appeal raised alarm over an affidavit allegedly filed by the complainant asking to withdraw the matter.

The court described the affidavit as “highly irregular and unusual”, noting that it could not verify whether the virtual complainant genuinely authored or swore to it. The judges also questioned how the defence came to possess the document, raising concerns about possible witness interference.

Treyvar Taylor, 23, was seeking bail after two earlier denials. His latest appeal was heard by Justices Bernard Turner, Gregory Smith, and Maureen Crane-Scott, who ultimately upheld the Supreme Court’s decision to keep him in custody.

Taylor is accused of robbing a man on November 7, 2023, of his wallet containing $200 and a silver Nissan Note. The complainant had also left a Samsung cellphone inside the car, which police later tracked via GPS to Taylor’s residence on Winder Street. There, officers allegedly recovered the stolen car, the complainant’s wallet with ID, and a key hidden in Taylor’s underwear that operated the vehicle. A stash of counterfeit US currency was also reportedly found at the home.

At the time of the alleged robbery, Taylor was already on bail and being electronically monitored for a separate case involving murder and attempted murder. Prosecutors say that on April 25, 2023, Taylor opened fire on a white Nissan Cube on Bahamas Boulevard. The driver escaped, but the passenger, Pedreito Mejias Jr, was later found dead inside the vehicle. Mejias had also been on bail for murder and was wearing an ankle monitor at the time of his death.

Taylor’s prior bail applications were denied in February and August 2024. In this latest appeal, his attorneys argued that the judge in the lower court erred in treating him as a threat to the public and prematurely assessed the strength of the evidence. They also claimed the ruling undermined Taylor’s right to be presumed innocent, especially since his trial for murder and attempted murder is not scheduled until February 2027.

Nonetheless, the Court of Appeal sided with the lower court, citing strong circumstantial evidence — including the GPS tracking, recovery of the stolen car at Taylor’s home, and his monitoring data — as justification for continuing his detention.

They ruled that no bail conditions could adequately protect public safety or prevent interference with witnesses, particularly given the unexplained nature of the affidavit.

Taylor remains on remand at the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services as he awaits trial.

Miranda Adderley represented the defendant.

Darnell Dorsette appeared on behalf of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.