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Saturday, March 14, 2015

‘No Help From Bahamas For My Husband Locked Up In Cuba’

'No Help From Bahamas For My Husband Locked Up In Cuba'
As of Friday, March 13, 2015
By RASHAD ROLLE Tribune Staff Reporter
rrolle@tribunemedia.net

A CONCERNED mother wants answers about the circumstances that led to her
husband to being sentenced in Cuba to 18 years in prison.

Antonia Ferguson Green, 28, told The Tribune she has spent the last
three years seeking to meet Bahamian officials who could explain her
husband's arrest in Cuba and subsequent conviction for drug trafficking.

Mrs Green said her husband, a fisherman, went out to sea with three
other men in January 2012. She said she reported him missing shortly
after that.

However, he was picked up in Cuba, charged and convicted, she said.

Documents seen by this newspaper suggest that Jamaric Greene, 29, was
convicted in 2012 of drug trafficking after attempting to "carry out an
operation of transfer of (marijuana)."

Cuban lawyers argued that after Mr Green and three others were rescued
in Cuban waters, authorities determined that the men were attempting to
smuggle drugs when they later found "bundles" of drugs in the water.

The lawyers argued that the crew threw the drugs overboard "two or
three" days before they were rescued and that it took some hours for
authorities to discover this.

Mrs Green, however, insists that her husband was framed. Now she said he
is "rotting" away in Cuba's "inhumane" prison.

She said Mr Green has written many letters to Foreign Affairs and
Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell and National Security Minister Dr
Bernard Nottage seeking their help.

In one hand-written letter addressed to Mr Mitchell, a copy of which was
obtained by The Tribune, Mr Green wrote: "I know you may be very busy
and have lots of other cases to deal with, but all I'm asking is for
someone to take some time and look into certain things in my case that
really needs to be addressed and looked into. I will list them all below
in an orderly form. My name is Jamaric Charmon Green and I'm in need of
help and a chance for a fair trial."

Mr Green said he and the other men were "denied phone calls or the
ability to retain a lawyer" when they were rescued. Among other things,
they were "verbally and physically abused and forced to give false
statements and sign papers which (were written in Spanish)," he alleged.

While Mrs Green is convinced her husband is innocent, she said what
would comfort her is to have her questions about the matter answered by
an official familiar with the case.

"I can't believe your spouse could be arrested and convicted of a crime
in another country and no one from the government would make the effort
to at least sit down with you and address your questions," she said.

"I feel all alone in this battle to find the truth."

Source: 'No help from Bahamas for my husband locked up in Cuba' | The
Tribune -
http://www.tribune242.com/news/2015/mar/13/no-help-bahamas-my-husband-locked-cuba/

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