By Clinton McGregor
A High Court has ordered the Bahamian authorities to pay US$2 million to a 36-year-old Jamaican man who had been wrongfully held on remand in prison for nearly 10 years.
The Court heard that Matthew Sewell, who was 18 years old when he arrived in The Bahamas in June 2006 to visit his father, was arrested days after his arrival on a charge of raping a minor.
He spent two years on remand until he was given bail in May 2008.
But he was arrested again in April 2009 on another rape charge and remained in prison until he got bail in August 2013.
Both rape complaints were later dismissed.
In 2013, Sewell was arrested again, this time for murder and housebreaking.
When he appeared in court, the murder charge was dropped because he was incarcerated at the time of the murder.
He pleaded not guilty to the housebreaking charge and remained in prison until that charge was dismissed in March 2014.
The court issued two discharge certificates to Sewell, but he was arrested a month later and transferred to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre.
In October 2015, a judge granted a writ of habeas corpus.
During his trial, Sewell told the court that during his time in prison, he was raped, beaten, bitten by a rat and had to share an 8x8ft cell with other prisoners.
He said he was given limited time outdoors and had to sleep on concrete.
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