A Jamaican man who spent nine years in and out of prison in the Bahamas has been awarded a settlement of US$125,000.
Matthew Sewell appeared in a Bahamas court on Tuesday. The hearing was held to update the judge concerning discussions between counsel for Mr. Sewell and the Crown on an appropriate amount in damages and taxation for the time he was detained at the Department of Correctional Services and the Detention Centre without trial.
Last October, the judge, Stephen Isaacs, ordered Mr. Sewell’s immediate release from the detention facility.
The 28 year old Jamaican was in and out the prison system; however he was never tried on any of the charges he faced.
In 2006, while in the Bahamas, visiting his father, Mr. Sewell was arrested for the alleged rape of a six-year-old girl. He was released on bail in 2008, but was arrested in April 2009, and charged with the alleged rape of a girlfriend.
The Jamaican received bail for that charge in August 2013, only to be arrested two months later for allegations of housebreaking and murder.
However, those charges were thrown out in 2014 when it was found that Mr. Sewell was in custody when the alleged crimes occurred.
He was later detained at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
In addition to ordering his immediate release last October, the judge also ordered that his travel documents be returned to him and that he be allowed 60 days to resolve his legal status in The Bahamas upon making an application to the Immigration Department.
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