Three men appeared before Chief Magistrate Roberto Reckley on Monday in connection with the murder of Philip Adderley.  Adderley’s body was found submerged in waters near the Stuart Cove property in western New Providence on August 15th.

The three men including former Managing Director of the Clifton Heritage Park, Mario Bannister 62, Christian Napier, 28 and Donte Riley, 26 were all charged with conspiracy to commit murder.  Bannister was separately charged with accessory after the fact while both Napier and Riley were also charged with murder.

Bannister and Riley entered the courtroom handcuffed together. Riley then exchanged words with members of his family seated in the gallery.  Riley’s Attorney Stanley Rolle explained, “I don’t know if you noticed Napier and Riley were separated.  This suggests maybe they were angry with each other or it suggests something to the extent that the police chose not to put them together.”

Screenshots of a WhatsApp conversation alleged to be between Napier, Riley and Bannister were leaked on social media.  They included videos and photos of the heinous act of violence against Adderley.

Bannister is represented by Attorney K. Melvin Munroe who questioned the presence of evidence against his client.  “What evidence?  That’s the first thing you have to establish what evidence.  Because it has to go before a court and has to go before a jury so once it get before a jury then you’ll make a determination.”

Munroe went on to say that Bannister has declared his innocence from the inception.  He said, “he’s in a good mental state beside the fact that he has to go through this but that’s about it.”

The three men were remanded to the Bahamas Department of Corrections until February 13th, 2025 when they are expected to return to court for a voluntary bill of indictment.