In November 2023, a theft took place at an airport. The aftermath of that event yesterday resulted in the arrest and charging of the now former head of the Criminal Investigations Department, a prominent lawyer and another police officer.

Since that theft of $1.5m from a bank security car, three men suspected in the case have been murdered. One more, Akeil Holmes, a former officer with ICS Security, still faces the courts on that matter.

The probe that led to yesterday’s charges at court sprang to life after a series of voice notes were leaked.

It was the first of two corruption investigations that began last year – with a second one seeing an indictment filed in the US on allegations of a widespread cocaine and gun smuggling ring.

But back to the probe that arrived in court here in The Bahamas yesterday.

The three people charged were Michael Johnson, former CID chief, who went on garden leave after the investigation was launched in the wake of the leak, attorney Bjorn Ferguson, and a police sergeant, Deangelo Rolle.

Johnson has now resigned from the police force while Rolle has been interdicted.

The former CID head is accused of the involvement in the alleged theft of $90,000 that formed part of the bank heist. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, stealing, receiving, and accessory after the fact to stealing.

The lawyer, Ferguson, is accused of accessory after the fact to stealing, and Rolle is charged with abetment to stealing.

In a day of high tension, the media was on alert as word came through that the arrests were being made.

There remains a long way to go until this story is fully told. But a probe was demanded, and has been delivered, and this is the outcome.

Now we must be patient enough for the courts to do their work.

We are sure there will be plenty of speculation, but it is important that prospective jurors in the case get the opportunity to hear the facts as they are presented, and not be influenced unduly by outside voices.

Whether guilty or innocent, all concerned deserve a fair hearing. The proceedings themselves deserve not to risk being derailed by the kind of unfounded commentary we see all too often on social media these days.

Anyone found guilty should be dealt with firmly, of course – these accusations shocked the nation, as too did the second wave of accusations in the separate case.

The fact that two separate sets of corruption allegations have been made concurrently is a sure sign that we need to sweep out those who would drag our nation down, and rebuild the reputations of our official bodies.

Yesterday’s charges are a sign of that happening. Now we trust to the courts. And wait.

No surprise here.

Guess who was right.

Locals in Abaco said the hurricane shelter being built there would not be ready by the end of the year.

The managing director of the Disaster Risk Management Authority said it would.

The end of the year came… and the locals were right.

The scaffolding is still up. Another deadline has been missed. Are we really shocked?