Tiejie Henley, the 30-year-old Luck Hill resident charged in connection with the alleged recovery of an illegal firearm in Fat Hogs Bay earlier this week, has been granted bail in the sum of $85,000 with one signed surety.
In handing down her ruling on Friday, Magistrate Christilyn Benjamin imposed several conditions on Henley’s release. He must surrender all travel documents, is prohibited from applying for new travel documents, remain at his current address under GPS monitoring, and report to the Road Town Police Station every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday between 6:00 am and 12:00 noon. Should he change his address, he must notify police within 24 hours. He was also ordered to remain of good behaviour, commit no further offences, and attend all court hearings. Any breach of the conditions could result in his bail being revoked and the surety becoming liable for the full $85,000.
Explaining the decision, Magistrate Benjamin said the court considered the seriousness of the alleged offences and the need to protect public safety but also had a duty to uphold the presumption of innocence. She noted that Henley has lived in the Virgin Islands for 15 years, has worked in the territory for the past 10 years, is a belonger, has a permanent residence, and has longstanding community ties and support.
Henley pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges of Carrying a Firearm without a Licence and Unlawful Possession of Explosives after prosecutors alleged police found a loaded 9mm handgun in a shoulder bag during a search in Fat Hogs Bay on July 21. The matter remains before the court.