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Former Premier Andrew Fahie Wants Bail Conditions Relax To Travel To Lawyer’s Office For Trial Preparation
Former British Virgin Islands Premier Andrew Fahie, who is currently on drug trafficking, money laundering and racketeering charges in the United States, wants his bail conditions relaxed so that he can travel to his lawyer’s office to discuss sensitive matters for his upcoming trial.
Fahie is currently on one million dollars bail – $500,000 cash and $500,00 surety – and is living in his daughters’ two-bedroom apartment in Florida.
His lawyer Theresa Van Vliet, who has been travelling to Fahie’s house to prepare his defense, in documents filed last week asked the court to adjust the bail order so that her client can travel 45 minutes to her Ft. Lauderdale office to have meetings, no more than three times a week.
At the moment, when Van Vliet visits Fahie, his daughters would leave the apartment for short periods to give them privacy to discuss sensitive matters.
Van Vliet argued that as the trial nears, she will need to meet with her client more frequently and for more lengthy periods.
She also requested that Fahie be allowed to leave his house to seek dental care, noting that the prosecution did not have an objection to the court relaxing the bail conditions.
The former First Electoral District Representative and chairman of the Virgin Islands Party, lives with his two daughters who attend online classes as part of his bail condition.
He also wears an ankle monitor and he and his daughters had to surrender their passports as part of the bail agreement.
Fahie was arrested on April 28, 2022 by Drug Enforcement Administration Agents (DEA) at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport. The father of two, along with Ports Authority Director Oleanvine Maynard and her son Kadeem Maynard, are charged with conspiring to import more than five kilos of cocaine into the United States and conspiring to launder $700,000. The female Maynard was arrested in Florida, while her son was detained in St Thomas, United States Virgin Islands. The Maynards are both still in federation custody awaiting trial.
Fahie, a former mathematics teacher, was first elected as District One representative in 1999 at the age of 28, a seat he has held continuously for 23 years. As a member of the VIP government, he has served as Minister for Health, Education and Welfare from 2000 to 2003 and Minister for Education and Culture from 2007 to 2011.
In 2016, Fahie became leader of the VIP and three years later, on February 25th, 2019, he led his party to victory in the general election, breaking the National Democratic Party’s winning streak. VIP won eight of 13 elected seats in the House of Assembly.
In November 2022, he resigned as chairman of the party and from Virgin Islands politics.
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Scrub Island Resort Hosts 2024 Billfish Series, Crowns Champions
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Four Men Cleared of Murder Charges in 2020 Killing of Matthew Daly
Four men accused of the 2020 murder of Matthew Daly were acquitted today after Justice Rajiv Persad upheld a No Case submission presented by their defense attorneys. Edward Crooke, Dajshon Benjamin, Micah Ormond, and K’Vawn Choucoutou had been on trial for five weeks for Daly’s killing on September 10, 2020. The trial, which began on September 16, 2024, concluded with the judge directing the jury to return Not Guilty verdicts for all defendants.
Crooke, Ormond, and Choucoutou left the High Court as free men, with no other legal matters pending. However, Benjamin remained in custody due to a separate guilty plea in a case before the Magistrate’s Court, as confirmed by his attorney, Michael Maduro.
The defense team included Attorney-at-Law Stephen Daniels for Crooke, Valston Graham for Choucoutou, and Valarie Stevens-Gordon for Ormond. The jury, consisting of seven women and two men, heard testimony throughout the trial before being instructed by Justice Persad to clear the defendants of the charges.
Before dismissing the men, Justice Persad urged them to contribute positively to society and avoid returning to the courts. “Make this a turning point,” he advised as they were formally released.
However, after the verdict, officers of the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force attempted to serve notices of appeal to the men outside the courthouse. This action was met with strong opposition from the defense attorneys, who argued that the notices were prepared before the judge’s decision was announced. The lawyers advised their clients not to accept the appeal documents, which the men complied with.
Despite the officers’ claims that the documents were timestamped after the judge’s ruling, the defense refused to acknowledge the service, leading to a tense standoff in the courthouse yard.
The case remains in legal limbo as both sides weigh their next steps.
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Quick Action by Firefighters Prevents Major Loss at Tortola Auto Group
A swift response by the Fire and Rescue Services averted what could have been a significant disaster for Tortola Auto Group (TAG) after a fire broke out at one of their storage sites. The blaze, which occurred at the Duff Bottom location behind the Island Department Store, threatened a large number of vehicles but was brought under control before causing widespread damage.
According to reports, the fire started in an area where numerous cars were stored. However, the quick actions of the firefighters, along with TAG staff members, prevented the flames from spreading to the majority of vehicles. Workers were able to relocate most of the cars to safety before the fire could escalate.
A source close to the company stated: “We were able to move most of the cars, thankfully. Yes, we lost a few to the fire, but the vast majority are safe and undamaged.”
While some losses were reported, the combined efforts of the Fire and Rescue Services and TAG’s team ensured that the potential for major damage was minimised. The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed, and further details are expected as investigations continue.
More information will be provided as it becomes available.
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