What happens when the justice system you trust turns against you—not because of lack of no evidence, but because of your skin color? I never imagined I would have to ask that question living in Canada. But in 2016, my life was upended by a web of lies, coercion, and systemic abuse that stretched from Bermuda to Canada. Today, I’m speaking out now after 9 years because silence enables injustice—and I refuse to be silent anymore. Even though this will put my life more in Danger, more than it has been for the past 9 years.
In a society that prides itself on justice and equality, the legal system should serve as a pillar of fairness for all individuals, regardless of race, background, or socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, for many minority groups in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, this ideal remains out of reach. This is the case of Craig Lawrence who has no criminal record is a stark example of the systemic injustices that continue to plague the Canadian legal system.
In the late 1990s, I played hockey for the Markham Waxers. During a game, the son of RCMP Officer Robert Williams—who played on the opposing team—struck me in the head three times with his hockey stick and then called me a racial slur not once but 5x. That same officer, Robert Williams, later traveled to Bermuda in 2017 and operated on foreign soil and played a direct role in having me wrongfully imprisoned—while blatantly ignoring serious police misconduct and abuse by the Bermuda Police Service. Then allowing Bermuda officers to operate on Canadian soil to cover up MORE of police miss conducts.
Fast forward to December 2016: I was hospitalized for over seven days with severe physical trauma, including nerve damage, decomposing tissue, and internal injuries requiring a catheter and blood transfusions—all after i saved the life of Jacqueline Robinson’s. Instead of being treated as a witness or even a victim, I was further victimized. RCMP Officer Robert Williams coerced Robinson with promises of pardons, despite evidence showing she was attempting to import illicit substances back into Canada.
A Fabricated Case Built on Lies
In 2016, Canadian citizen Jacqueline Robinson was caught attempting to smuggle drugs from Bermuda into Canada. The night before her return flight, Jacqueline Robinson suffered a medical emergency. I, Craig Lawrence, acted swiftly to save life of Jacqueline Robinson —even while I was in the midst of a medical crisis myself, one that ultimately left me hospitalized in Bermuda with life-altering injuries.
Instead of accepting responsibility for her actions, Jacqueline Robinson falsely accused Craig Lawrence of forcing/coercing her into drug trafficking. Her allegations were not made voluntarily; they were the result of pressure from Bermuda Detective David Bhagwan (#2042) and RCMP Officer Robert Williams, who offered her leniency in exchange for false testimony. Jacqueline Robinson later pleaded guilty and testified in both Bermuda and Canada against individuals she continued to associate with in Canada. Although she served the remainder of her sentence in Bermuda, she was granted a pardon upon her return to Canada. However, Craig Lawrence was left to readjust to society on his own, despite visible signs of mental and physical abuse after serving 400 days in jail under harsh conditions.
But the truth could no longer be concealed. A 2018 toxicology report from the Bermuda Supreme Court shattered the lie—Jacqueline Robinson’s story was biologically impossible. She couldn’t have had a drug in her system for five days. The entire case was a fabrication. Video and photo evidence from Toronto Pearson International Airport show Jacqueline Robinson walking past security checkpoints and boarding freely, on her own accord. After I was forcibly removed from the January 2023 trial for exposing the toxicology report, the trial judge called me to testify for the other co-accused and even issued a Rowbotham Application, acknowledging the lack of faith I had in my legal counsel, Zoppi and Tse.
Racial Profiling and Imprisonment Without Cause
RCMP Officer Robert Williams, who had previous racially charged encounters with Craig Lawrence, took a central role in orchestrating my wrongful imprisonment in Bermuda despite the lack of no evidence and police misconduct. In 2017, based on Robinson’s false, coerced testimony, Robert Williams signed Court document in Bermuda that led to Craig Lawrence incarceration—without a shred of physical evidence.
I spent 400 days in a Bermuda jail, fighting for my life and my freedom. In February 2018, I Craig Lawrence was found not guilty on all charges by the Bermuda Supreme Court. But my nightmare was far from over.
Double Jeopardy and the Canadian Cover-Up
When I returned to Canada, I hoped for justice. Instead, I was met with another round of betrayal. In June 2018, the RCMP charged me again—with the same of criminal negligence causing bodily harm. The charges were based on the same discredited allegations and ignored the toxicology evidence that proved my innocence.
This is a clear Violation of my Charter Rights, Human Rights, Civil Rights, specifically protection against Double Jeopardy. Yet the Canadian legal system moved forward, determined to bury their wrongdoing rather than correct it. Which proves that Canadian justice system has a two-tier justice system white justice and Minority justice.
Legal Malpractice and Suppression of Evidence
The corruption didn’t stop with the police. Crown prosecutors and my own defense lawyers—Richard Graham Zoppi and Tse Hillson RGZ Law – Criminal Defence Lawyer In Toronto —actively misled me, withholding my case disclosure and the toxicology report AND RCMP Robert Williams Misconduct from Bermuda Supreme Court that proves no crime occurred.
My second lawyer who I retained took the pay out from Richard Graham Zoppi to help keep this information suppressed Pierre Bonsu – Lawyer | He Knows These Streets July 2023- Dec 2023
Even organizations established to advocate for Black Canadians—such as the Black Legal Action Centre—participated in the suppression of evidence and the obstruction of my pursuit of justice, as well as that of others. Their actions reflect alignment with the very institutional structures they purport to challenge.
In 2023 Justice Forestell compromised the integrity of the legal process by enabling undisclosed, improper communication between my former and current counsel, thereby obstructing my new lawyer, Pierre Bonsu, from advancing arguments related to the racial injustice central to my case. Furthermore, she exceeded her judicial mandate by rendering decisions influenced by personal bias rather than grounded in factual evidence and legal principle.
This Isn’t Just About Me
What happened to me is not an isolated incident—it’s a symptom of a deeply flawed and racially biased justice system. The collusion between police, prosecutors, judges, and even legal aid institutions should horrify every Canadian who believes in fairness, truth, and accountability.
My Demands
I am calling for urgent action. Specifically, I demand:
- An independent inquiry into the conduct of RCMP Officer Robert Williams, Crown prosecutors, and legal representatives involved in my case
- Full accountability for all those who participated in this miscarriage of justice, including criminal charges where appropriate
- Immediate public release of the 2018 toxicology report that exonerates me and remove the media ban
- A fair and transparent review of my entire case
- Bermuda detectives abuse and assault on the Craig Lawrence by David Bhagwan (#2042) and O’Neil Swaby (#2237)
Enough Is Enough
This isn’t just about my freedom. It’s about restoring faith in a justice system that has failed too many—especially Black Canadians. I will not allow this to be swept under the rug. If Canada claims to value justice and equality, then my case must be acknowledged, investigated, and corrected.
