ON Friday, National Security Minister Fitzgerald Hinds announced that Anthony Smith, facing charges of human trafficking, removed the electronic monitoring device attached to him while on bail and under a 24-hour home curfew, dodged law enforcement and fled police custody.
Clearly, the accused did not think much of his chances to beat the charges and beat feet instead. In his absence, Mr Smith was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Justice Geoffrey Henderson. He will also face a fine of $100,000 or an additional two years in prison for removing the device if he is recaptured.
Mr Smith, a child-trafficker, was the first conviction under the Trafficking in Persons Act.
The convicted trafficker had worn an electronic monitor for more than two years and had persuaded the court to expand the range of the monitoring to allow him to work. Six weeks ago, the device's alarm was triggered, which police reported as "some sort of interference." Mr Smith would avoid every police effort to interfere with his escape.
Friday's admission should have been a chastening experience for a minister who chided representatives of his ministry for their tardiness in activating the monitoring system at a Joint Select Committee meeting in May 2018.
At the time, Mr Hinds described the need for the monitoring system as "ultra-urgent."
By July 2021 – nine years after the Administration of Justice (Electronic Monitoring) Act was assented to – the country was finally ready to use GPS tracking ankle bracelets to monitor movements of citizens on bail for sensitive charges such as domestic violence and sexual offences.
Confident in the capabilities of the new Electronic Monitoring Unit (EMU), deputy director Lawrence Hinds suggested that the service would be available for rent for some cases at a daily cost of $11. In some countries, monitoring bracelets are offered for bailable offences for a fee to be paid by the accused.
Between April 2021 and March 2022, 38 people were fitted with the electronic monitoring devices.
In July, the Commissioner of Police suggested expanding the use of the ankle bracelets to repeat offenders on bail for firearm possession and violent crimes.
The EMU has been increasing its capacity to deploy these electronic monitors since it began operations and in May reported that 350 units were available. What remains unanswered is how Mr Smith escaped custody after removing his monitoring bracelet.
After wearing the device for two years, it seems that he understood its nuances, and was probably aware of how long he had between its removal and police presence.
The EMU has not explained how the system failed and the public – who rely on these protections – should know both what happened and what the police are doing to close their response capabilities for devices the country relies on for public safety.
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