By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

NATIONAL Security Minister Wayne Munroe has defended the Royal Bahamas Police Force’s (RBPF) approach to disclosing information of public interest amid scrutiny over the force’s recent reporting practices.

Speaking yesterday, he said while the police may not immediately release every detail to the public, all proceedings become accessible once cases reach the judiciary.

“I’m quite satisfied that when they charge people, people know who they’ve charged and what they have charged them for,” the minister said.

“If the complaint is that somebody needs to know the minute after a complaint is made, I’m not sure that that’s a legitimate complaint, but everyone who is charged goes to court. The public can be aware of it, because our courts are public.”

His remarks come amid heightened scrutiny of reporting practices under the leadership of Commissioner Shanta Knowles. Notably, the RBPF delayed the public release of a gruesome killing in Acklins, where a man was murdered and dismembered. The incident was initially classified as a missing person’s case and only reported late Monday night. A senior officer later confirmed the killing to The Tribune, and it was officially classified as a murder the following Wednesday.

Mr Munroe said the case originated as a missing person’s report.

“That investigation led to a suspect who made certain statements, and authorities subsequently discovered the body,” he said.

The police force also faced scrutiny in April for failing to disclose two alleged rape cases involving American tourists and jet ski operators. The US Embassy issued a travel advisory, warning of sexual assault risks tied to jet ski rentals.

Mr Munroe insisted such cases are often reported in written police briefings and published online.

“You see it frequently, because people go to court. They catch the person, they put them before the court. It’s a matter in court and once someone goes to court. It’s publicly known,” he said.