Bahamas National Security Minister, Wayne Munroe, has disagreed with calls for his resignation even as he “deeply” regretted comments he made last week about an unlawful sexual intercourse case involving a 14-year-old victim.
The 40-year-old accused was handed a four-year jail term following a plea deal for unlawful sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old girl who was also pregnant. On completion of his prison term, the convicted man will be placed on probation for three years. But the sentence prompted outcry from some people that it was too lenient.
“I have spoken several times on the matter of a plea agreement, and I deeply regret that my answers have caused concern. I gave several interviews and I hope that pulling the salient points together in one place can be helpful to understand my position,” he said in a weekend statement.
“When I provide my analysis of a legal matter, as I have done in recent interviews, I do draw upon my decades of experience practicing law. But I want Bahamians to be clear, it is this experience that allows me a clear view of the path to successful law enforcement and prosecution. The goal in cases like these is to punish predatory behavior and to deter others from engaging in such behavior.”
There have been calls for Munroe’s resignation after he told reporters last Thursday that the 40-year-old convicted man had received a sentence that was too severe.
Munroe said had he defended the man, he would not have accepted a plea deal because it was not rape, and that the girl consented.
In his statement, the national security minister said anyone who has sexual intercourse with a child under 16 “is disordered,” and that “anyone who does so will go to prison.
“The only question is the length of their sentence,” he said, adding that “sentence lengths for the offense in question are established by the Bahamas Court of Appeal.
“For a first-time offender, the sentence is seven years if the young woman does not consent, and four years if the young woman does consent. The word ‘consent’ is in the text of the relevant statute – ‘with or without consent.’
Munroe said plea agreements avoid court cases “and thus help clear the backlog of cases in our justice system.
“Additionally, plea bargaining spares the victim from having to give evidence thereby being forced to relive the trauma of the crime,” Munroe said, adding that the government “is unified in wanting to send the clearest possible message to adults who would have sexual relationships with children under 16 (that) your behavior will land you in jail, no matter the child’s behavior.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister, Chester Cooper, said the age of consent should be raised to 18 to “further protect minors”.
Minister of Social Services and Development, Obie Wilchcombe, said the Office of the Attorney General is looking to address “inconsistencies” in law with the age of consent with legislation expected to change later this year.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Cooper said “public discourse can be rocky, but it can often bring about change.”
“The current discussion about the age of consent should be followed by action on the part of lawmakers. I have previously called for the legal age of consent to be increased to 18 years of age, and I stand by that today.
“This will further protect minors and make clear that children who cannot drink alcohol, join law enforcement, open a bank account, stand before a court as an adult or vote, for example, cannot reasonably consent to sex with an adult.”
Cooper said any law that suggests otherwise is out of step with what the vast majority of those whom the law is supposed to serve believe.
“I am also for eliminating any ambiguity in the law with regard to teenage minors consenting to sex with adults — once again, they cannot. Laws must change as the values of society evolve and mature. Cabinet is considering measures to bring about these changes and they are long overdue,” Cooper said.
