Court Orders New Hearing in Jean Roney Case

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The country’s highest court has ordered a new constitutional hearing for a man of Haitian descent, who was expelled from the country in 2017.

Justice Gregory Hilton in 2018 ordered authorities to return Jean Roney Jean Charles to The Bahamas after finding that he had been unlawfully deported to Haiti.

On September 18, 2017, immigration officials arrested a man by the name of Jean Charles at Firetrail Road after he was unable to produce any documents.

He was taken to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre and authorities found no record of a Jean Charles being born in The Bahamas on December 1, 1985.

Jean Charles was not charged with any offense or brought before a court. However, he was expelled to Haiti on November 24, 2017.

In January 2018, Justice Hilton ruled that Jean Charles had been deprived of his right to personal liberty and his right to be brought before the court without reasonable delay. He ordered authorities to issue a travel document to facilitate Jean Charles’ return to the country and for immigration officials to issue him status to live and work in The Bahamas.

However, the court of appeal overturned Hilton’s decision in October 2018, ruling that the hearing was procedurally unfair. Jean Charles appealed the decision to the privy council, which ordered a new constitutional hearing.

He was returned to The Bahamas in February 2018 in compliance with Justice Hilton’s order. However, his legal status remains in limbo.