Raises Concerns Over Bail Monitoring After Suspect Allegedly Fails to Report 81 Times

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NASSAU , BAHAMAS – Thirty-nine-year-old Adnan Oliver is accused of murdering James McPhee on July 12.

Prosecutors allege McPhee was chopped about the body and run over with a vehicle off Spikenard Road.

The alleged killing happened about a month before Oliver was scheduled to stand trial for the 2019 armed robbery of McPhee’s $70,000 Rolex watch, a trial in which McPhee was scheduled to be a key witness.

Court documents also allege that while on bail, Oliver failed to report to a police station 81 times as required by his bail conditions.

Community activist Rashad Adderley says if those reports are accurate, they raise questions about the enforcement of court orders.

Rashad Adderley – Community Activist

“Court orders are not suggestions. Bail conditions are put in place for a reason. They balance the right of the accused person with the responsibility of protecting the public. When repeated breaches happen without timely intervention, it creates a situation where the public has a right to ask: Were the warning signs really recognized? Were the proper procedures followed? Could more really have been done? These are serious things we must ask ourselves.”

The issue of bail has always been a hot-button topic, with concerns over checks and balances in the system.

Back in 2021, the Electronic Bail Management System came on stream.

The system is backed by a customized software platform, which is utilized by the Supreme Court and law enforcement to automate and track bail applications, suretors, and defendant check-ins.

Officials have also said it requires individuals released on bail to register electronically to verify compliance with their release conditions.

But with this latest alleged breach, Adderley says it leaves more questions than answers.

Rashad Adderley – Community Activist

“We have to look beyond these things because, at the end of the day, you’re only concerned if it happens to you. We don’t need this to happen to another step of somebody you know. That’s sad. This is a sad situation. Do we see ankle monitors? These are questions that need to be asked.”