Bahamian authorities ordered to pay $2 Million relief to Jamaican national  

Jamaica: The high court has passed an order to the Bahamian authorities to pay two million US dollars to Mathew Sewell, a Jamaican resident, who has been wrongfully held in remand since 2006.

Mathew Sewell, who arrived in the Bahamas to visit his father in 2006 was arrested by the Bahamian police upon his arrival under the charge of raping a minor. Mathew, at the time of arrest, was just 18 years old.

However, he was given bail in May 2008 after staying for two years in prison. As everything was getting normal, he again got arrested in the year 2009 under another rape case and remained in jail for next five years until he was given bail in year 2013. Ultimately, both the cases were then dismissed.

Just when Sewell came out of the jail in 2013, he was again charged with a murder and housebreaking case, and subsequently got arrested. Whereas, the court hearing relieved him of murder charges as it was noted that he was in prison at the time of murder. Although he got relieved from murder case, he was still guilty for the housekeeping charge and then remained in prison till March 2014.

Reportedly, Sewell has been issued several discharged certificates but still he got arrested a month later and transferred to a detention centre at Carmichael Road.

Notably, when Sewell was taken for his trial, he made big announcements revealing that he was beaten and raped by the police authorities while in prison. Sewell further revealed that he was barely given any time outdoors and had to sleep on concrete and defecate in a bucket or a bread bag.

He criticised not just the police officers, but stated that he was beaten and raped by many other including, prison officers, prisoners and defence force officers.

After a long setback, Sewell last week in a court hearing was found innocent as no evidence or witness was found against him. The supreme court’s retired justice Ruth Bowe-Darville then in his Favor stated that, “before the accused’s primary arrest, he was an 18-year-old young child of good character, and then he found himself in unfamiliar surroundings facing incredible odds.”

It was also noted that Sewell’s injuries were Incontrovertible while emphasizing that he suffered several injuries including facial injuries, multiple facial fractures, permanent scarring to the face, leg injuries and serious short-term food poisoning. Reportedly, Sewell was also diagnosed with schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

He has been awarded a US $378000 for his future care, US $14488172 for psychiatric and psychological damages, US $250000 for malicious prosecution, US $120000 as constitutional rights to Sewell. Totally, he was awarded US $2,011,578,38.