The Nassau Guardian
Bail granted to alleged gun runner
A Supreme Court judge yesterday granted bail to an alleged gun smuggler after the prosecution conceded that the case against him was weak.
Leonard Saunders, 28, of Churchill Subdivision, was arraigned last month on 17 counts related to the seizure of five firearms and 387 rounds of ammunition.
Prosecutor Maria Zancolla withdrew her objection to the grant of bail after acknowledging that there was no evidence to connect Saunders to the guns and ammunition.
According to Saunders’ lawyer, Dorsey McPhee, he was only a passenger in a taxi. McPhee said the contraband was found in Exuma on April 8, but police arrested Saunders and taxi driver Shamar Ellis the following day after they left Potter’s Cay Dock.
Police found appliances and groceries in the taxi, according to a witness statement. McPhee said Saunders’ image had been plastered across the newspapers, giving the impression he was a “gun runner when there is nothing to connect him to these charges”.
Justice Vera Watkins set Saunders’ bail at $8,000 with two sureties.
The seized firearms included an Austria Glock 27.40 pistol, an Austria Glock 9x19 pistol, a Del-ton DTI 15 rifle, and a .223 5.56 assault rifle. Police also recovered ammunition for the weapons.
Ellis and Saunders also face charges of possession of guns and ammunition with intent to supply and conspiring to import guns and ammunition from October 20, 2013 to April 7.
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