The recent acquittal of Earl ( Seko) Grant and consequently his co-conspirators has sent tremulous emotional shockwaves across the nation and left the very pillars and bedrock of our Justice system dangerously shaken, insecure and a mere mimicked configuration of what it once was. Every Dominican who is not aligned with the government should be gravely concerned and vicariously view themselves as potentially another Mr. and Mrs. Glenworth O. N. Emmanuel – at the mercy of a regime that has essentially rubber-stamped every institution by stripping them of their autonomy to make decision independent of collateral influences – a sad and ominous reality.
Every conscientious objective-thinking Dominican – independent of partisanship – should be immensely troubled by the level of injustice perpetrated against Mr. GON Emmanuel and his wife. Two elderly noble citizens who could be anyone’s mother, father, grandfather, grandmother, sister or brother, retired and enjoying what is left of their lives, should not be subject to the level of anguish that they were made to endure. The order issued by Earl Grant to firebomb GON’s house at 2am on December 25, 2010, one would deduce trickled down the hierarchy. Could it be that Mr. Emmanuel, who was one half of the legal team with Steven Isidore, became cognitive hence disenchanted of Mr. Isidore’s involvement of the organization in the clandestine monetary dealings with others in high places and was deemed to have known too much? GON Emmanuel did in fact uncover the covert illicit money transactions to the tune of 6 to 8 million. That would rise to adequate reason to eliminate Mr. Emmanuel one would presume.
But why would the court honor Denny’s later concocted story rather than admitting his statement given to the media four years earlier, one may ask. Conventional wisdom is that a witness’ statement closest in time to an incident is oftentimes more accurate than later accounts of that same incident. Furthermore, in the absence of eye witnesses, there is forensics – fingerprints, etc. And, when all else fails, there is always the old-fashioned circumstantial evidence. How ever it is sliced, there was sufficient evidence for a conviction. Essentially, the stakes were much too high to convict Mr. Grant. Common sense dictates that a conviction would seemingly have opened up a can of worms thus revealing a well organized conspiracy which would potentially implicate many in high places.
Whether it be the Electoral Commissioner, the Commissioner of Police, sitting Magistrate or even the state’s prosecution, these officers are no more than a hogwash hence they are hardly worth more than the chairs that keep them seated. When the state’s entire attempted murder trial hinges its ‘smoking gun’ on the promised confession of a single incredible witness/perpetrator, we saw firsthand how dangerous the consequences could be. And given that Denny Shillingford is no stranger to the police it brings his credibility into question. In any event, Mr. Shillingford was just a small fish in a big pot of conspiracy who, for whatever reason, felt the imperativeness to recant his original testimony thus making a mockery of the legal process – a real travesty of justice.
But where are the so-called consciences of the nation (the clergy) who should denounce and condemn such an egregious act against an elderly law-abiding couple? I am a strong disestablishmentarian – I advocate for separation of church and state to ensure fair and equitable postures in situations like these. It is therefore not surprising that the church has been utterly silent and quite frankly sanctimonious about the matter. But how could they possibly assume a moral stance when they have openly demonstrated their profound adulation and revere for his excellency? That would be quite a dilemma, wouldn’t it? Where does society stand when the line between divinity and monetary gains has been reduced to mere imagination?
Opinions expressed in this commentary are solely that of the author and does not reflect those of Dominica News Online and its advertisers.
“Every Dominican who is not aligned with the government should be gravely concerned and vicariously view themselves as potentially another Mr. and Mrs. Glenworth O. N. Emmanuel”. These are very strong words directly implying that the fire bombing of that house was done as per directives of the ruling Labor party. I didn’t bother to read the rest of your garbage because I don’t think that you are in a position to go around making such serious accusations unless you have the evidence to back it up, and based on the passion with which you talk, it is obvious that if in fact you were privy to such hard evidence you would have volunteered to give evidence, which you didn’t.
A word of caution to the wise:
Only comment on what you understand.
Sometimes it’s best to sit back, observe …. you will learn a heck more
A wise old Owl sat in an Oak;
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard
Why can’t we all be like that wise old Owl?
What a sham this whole affair is. It lets you know about how much justice exists in DA.
This Gon Emanuel AND HIS WIFE Greta drama is one of the most extraordinary stories that I have heard. As far as the police and the judicial system are concerned the fire must have been a result of spontaneous combustion ( Spontaneous combustion is a type of combustion which occurs by self heating increase in temperature due to exothermic internal reactions, which rapidly accelerates to high temperatures and finally, ignition.[1],,Since up to now no one was responsible for the arson,, the property self ignited..unless we accept Tony Astaphan’s insinuations that Gon Emanuel came out of his bed that night and set it himself.. Tony Astaphan gives no motive for Emanuel doing this crazy thing…. or at least I have not heard one.. The other bizarre development is that Denny Shillingford according to the determination of the judicial system must be mentally deranged for him to make up this rather intricate confession regarding who contracted him
even some police officers who were involve in gross misconduct bordering on the criminal side have been promoted.
Yes Sir, who said the devil doesn’t look after his own brood?
Not withstanding the fact that an investigating journalist duplicitous contaminated the jury process by conducting an interview with the perp. Mind you he is not a law enforcement officer, nor a lawyer, he plays one on the air, which is not the same thing, but in his quest for ego recognition – he deliberately trampled on both the victims and the perp civil rights. Is that what truth to power looks like?
Jeffers live in the States where you are innocent until proven guilty, but for Dominica he wants it to be guilty before proven innocent. God has a way of bringing people like that into the public eye what’s in the dark with all what you do will come to light, hope you wont be mad when the shoe is on the other feet.
“How ever it is sliced, there was sufficient evidence for a conviction.” How could Mr. Joseph have said that better? Is he part of the investigating team? Is he the forensics, Attorney for the defense or prosecution? Is he psychic to say that there was sufficient evidence for a conviction? I mean common man. Or perhaps he had the opportunity to review the discoveries of the case? For a person in the diaspora who is neither defense or prosecution of forensics or CIS to prepare an editorial of that nature is somewhat strange.
A confession without credible evidence to back it up should NOT be sufficient to convict anyone of a crime. What’s to stop me then from going to the police to say that Jeffers Joseph paid me $50 to steal Ma John’s mangoes? Not nearly as serious as attempted murder but you get the point …. If Denny confessed and implicated others then the police needed to conduct a more thorough investigation to substantiate the claims. Only then can they bring a case against the accused. At the end of the day, without evidence, Earl Grant should not have been charged and/or convicted.
@ Peace, they did do a thorough investigation they wanted to speak to a witness but was told by her husband don’t talk to them, then there was so much inconsistences with Denny that the police knew he was not there, that’s why the police said to the DPP they can’t move forward cause it won’t stand in court. Even the lawyer said in public well on DNO that the case was on shaky grounds I guess Jeffers missed that statement, Jeffers speak like he has the transcript form the proceeding to know that people may be throwing away the case. Since he knows so much, Sir can you please tell us why was the jeep shipped away to be crushed? you know what I take that back the FBI may have a hold of it so they can retrieve the black box from the jeep it will show who and when the fire started, HAHAHAHAHHA.
Dominica has been a lawless nation for a long while ,,,it is the only country where the police and the gov’t knows who kill and when,,,yet they are bailed to walk the streets and set free after a theatral court case…so help me god ,,,it is time for this to end ,,,now to show us how lawless the country is ,a minister is openly telling the public that he will not tolerate any “unlawfull” protest ,in other words dominicans will have no freedom of speech which is equal to a country that is ruled by a bunch of dictators..
OK DNO, I have now proven beyond a doubt how biased your online newspaper is to certain views and comments. The article above is filled with so much factual error about our court system that I sought to share some light on the legal process involved in “convicting” someone of such a serious crime in Dominica. The person who was on trial at the magistrate court for the crime could not have been found guilty of the said crime at that stage of the justice system. Contrary to what was said in the commentary above. Indeed the matter was being investigated at a higher level following which the magistrate would make a determination as whether the matter should advance to the High Court for trial before a judge and jury. Whether the evidence could stand the rigours of cross examination before a judge and jury. That is our tried and tested system. There could not have been any conviction then. DNO in its wisdom thought otherwise. If that is not manipulating public opinion, then what is it?
ADMIN: It would be nice if you send us an article to counter this commentary. We publish all articles, with all types of views, sent to us as long at they meet our standards.
Just Observing wants another opportunity to disguise his role in the denial of Justice to Mr. Emmanuel. As counsel for the person alleged to be behind the murder attempt Just Observing wishes to rewrite the script to absolve those who are truly culpable.
The public will not be fooled.
DNO: it’s not a very good idea to allow Tony Astaphan to further insult the public’s intelligence with another opportunity to confuse and mislead with what is likely to be a politically biased opinion.
I dare you to publish this comment.
This is not Tony Astaphans. nor am I a practicing Attorney. Suffice it to say,there are a few of us here who still appreciate the system of justice we live in even when we do not always agree with some or many of its the decisions. But do we, purely on the altar of partisan consideration and sheer desire to implicate PM Skerrit, no matter what, destroy the very system that has served us over many generations? Those who sought to detract the real facts about how the system works are yet to prove my submission wrong. I have not spoken tot he facts of the case. I am concerned with the submission in the commentary that advances the view that the alleged offender of the fire at the home of GON Emmanuel should have been found guilty at THE PRELIMINARY INQUIRY BY A MAGISTRATE. People that is not how our system works. Perhaps we want a system that says that as long a you are accused by a certain talkshow of a crime then you are guilty and the magistrate must convict you. Is that it?
Just Observing,
Though I understand your concern about evidence and conviction, it would be nice if you would prepare the counter editorial for this commentary. DNO only published what was requested by the person preparing the article so to blame them for posting the article and requesting a counter does not make much sense. Prepare your counter commentary and ask that they publish it.
DNO, you have at least five article that I have submitted to your service dating back to 2013. They have never seen the light of day. Granted you have already published commentaries that I have submitted and I do appreciate it. The last time you publish a commentary of mines was in 2013. In recent times, it has been a No! No! I AM NOT MAKING UP A STORY. For whatever your reason, you have not published my pieces that have been critical of the opposition. So I have decided to withhold any full length commentary.
ADMIN: We’ve run a search and came up with nothing. Probably they spammed by the system for whatever reason. Please re-submit. However, we have to point out that a commentary submitted was published in 2014 and not 2013 as suggested.
Well Said, Mr. Joseph.
I concur Mr. Joseph. couldn’t have put it any better! it just goes to show the level of injustice and corruption that exists in this country….ministers and corrupt public officials and political freaks who are not worth their salt…Only in Dominica…Only in DA. I am happy that we still have people like you Mr. Joseph out there championing the cause of the few patriotic, law abiding, and honest people of Dominica. God help us.
Voir dire,
Are you serious?
There’s a Titanic like behavior of a lot of people at home.The signs are all over.but refuses to admit it.My people the ship is sinking fast, but still don’t believe it.Wake up from your unreal dreams.
Jeffers are you that bias, who did the ‘regime’ collude with? So the Magistrate and the office of the DPP represented by Sherma Dalrymple worked to ensure Seco got acquitted??
I mean are you honestly saying that a person is GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT? So you become guilty of a crime once the likes of Lennox, Matt and the rest of the UWP operatives say so??
YOU PEOPLE MAKES US DOMINICANS LOOK REAL FOOLISH…..
No, you make us Dominicans look foolish.
When he gave his first story his credibility was not brought into question. Now he has credibility?????? WOW. How bias can we be???
Well obviously people’s credibility are called into question when they begin to change their story. Know that.
The answer to the questions are, ” They all received their 30 pieces of silver”. The church is part and parcel
. Dr Martin Luther king said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” He also said, “The Hottest Places in Hell Are Reserved for Those Who in a Period of Moral Crisis Maintain Their Neutrality” .
Let their conscience be their guide..
Apparently, they have none for it is driven by the live for money.
They are all Judas Iscariot .
Lawless nation, are you ok Sir.
Yet another political statement. It semes as if anyone that is accused of a crime by the UWP supporters is guilty and due propcess should not be followed. I guess if the court had rejected Mr. Shillingford’s recantment of his statement implicating Mr. Grant and sent Mr. Grant to jail all would be well with the Law and the Justice system in Dominica. Just a reminder to Mr. Joseph, Mr Emmanuel is not the only one against whom a crime has been committed and is still waiting for justice, the list is long and there are many who are fighting to be at the top of that list.
After reading the first sentence I did not go any further. That’s your own verdict and not that of many like me.
You figure Skerrit an co. are controlling the court too. But it sounds like that’s exactly what you and you UWP pals want to do.
You have a problem with everything that doesn’t go your way, whether it’s with the courts, the Bishop or the House Speaker, or Peter R., the police, the OAS, you name it.
You and your UWP friends are little more than cultists. It requires a massive team of psychologists to deprogram you all and get you integrated back in normal society.
I, too, am deeply troubled by the failure of the criminal justice system to deliver justice to Mr. Emmanuel and his wife.
I am also in agreement with the author that the institutions in the country which we look up to to uphold the values of fairness and decency, have failed Mr. Emmanuel. Rather than speak up in defense of the values we hold sacred, they have allowed their loud silence to be mistaken for complicity with the dark forces which seem to have prevailed in this rather sad chapter in the nation’s history.
But I reserve my scorn for the one who is ultimately responsible, the prime minister, Roosevelt Skerrit. By failing to categorically condemn the crime,, Mr. Skerrit put himself in a position where fair minded and law abiding citizens would come to the conclusion that he is inextricably compromised in the crime by his closeness to Mr. Isidore who serves as his personal attorney.
A high level commission of inquiry should be appointed to investigate so this never happens…
Strong words my boy.
Well said. Enquiring minds want to know.
At the High Court, any change in evidence would be treated with the greatest of care. There are rules and regulations in the system to guide such incidents where a witness changes his her story. The rules provide for changes in minor details. Where the change in evidence is so drastic such that it opens up the witness’ evidence to great suspicion, there are rules to deal with them. Even if the matter goes to full trial, once the case is completed – all sides heard, the presiding judge has the burden to guide the jury on matters of law. The judge has to instruct the jury to concentrate ONLY on the evidence before it within the hallowed walls of the court. NOT WHAT IS DISCUSSEDON RADIO, MR.JOSPEH’S COMMENTARY OR A POLITICAL PLATFORM. what the law says about the evidence at the trial is what that should inform their decision. Not Mr. Joseph and or any other character, even if they possess great eloquence with the written word outside the hallowed walls of the court room. Sorry Mr…
Mr. Joseph obviously does not understand our system of justice. The system has been with us for generations and has withstood the test of time, irrespective of the kind of “intellectual demonization” that Mr. Joseph wrote. the case was still in its very infancy stage (never mind the passage of time).The was in the court, still at the stage of the “Preliminary Inquiry”. That is basically, the state at which the formal evidence is gathered and tested BEFORE THE MATTER GOES TO A FULLTRIAL BEFORE JUDGE AND JURY. At that stage, there could not be any conviction – hear that Mr. Joseph – NO CONVICTION AT THAT STAGE. The quality of the evidence would be reviewed and evaluated. If there is sufficient evidence, it is at that stage that the matter is referred the High Court for TRIAL. There again the evidence will presented, again, and under cross examination will be tried and tested. All that must take place BEFORE ANYCONVICTION COME S DOWN. THAT IS THE SYSTEM WE ALL HAVE LIVED AND WORKED…
I really enjoy reading your posts. Strikes me as sad the nature of the discussion on this issue – so many of our citizen making so much noise about what they know zilch. Too typical of us, I say.
As for the article – the subject of your commentary – I wouldn’t bet my money on anything that the writer have to say regarding this matter. Some person – the author particularly – has nothing good to say, will never find anything worthy to say, about this government. Sour grapes!
Just Observing, keep on writing.
Above, I make the assertion that we Dominicans tend to say a lot about which we know nothing – “zilch” is the word I use. Let me show you how Mr. Joseph is clueless about the things he wants to pontificate about in his article – mind you, a once-upon-a-time law enforcement officer himself!
He states, just for starters, that “[t]he recent acquittal of Earl ( Seko) Grant” and the so-called impact on our state. Immediately, you begin to sense the ignorance and/or bias towards those he terms “his excellency.”
The glaring failure on the detractor, Mr. Joseph, to note that there was no trial and thus NO ACQUITTAL is proof positive that he is bent on malice, if not an intent to savage our entire jurisprudence. But Joseph couldn’t care less. He is Shylock in the Merchant of Venice, intent on getting his pound of flesh.
Sour grapes. Trust me.
Unfortunately, one would only experience shockwaves and bewilderment if the local prosecutor’s office had a strong record of convictions in high profile cases and this case somehow got away from them and it produced an unsuspecting result, i.e. a guilty man walking free from responsibility for his illegal and criminal actions.
To the contrary, the results of this case has become the norm on the island in recent times. The local Director of Public Prosecution Office, DPP serves as a phantom entity with the appearance of seeking justice for victims and convicting violent offenders. In reality, they have a poor prosecution record.
As a result, no one is shocked anymore. This case is the new normal, unfortunately so.
The same horn has been sounding for some time now. Where is the conscience of the nation? How can a people remain silent when so much injustice is being perpetrated against them from the very government which has sworn to protect them? Where is the clergy and all the intellectuals who supposedly have more degrees than the sun can produce heat? Are they all blind, dumb and deaf? Are they all immobile? Are we as a people afraid of Skerrit and Blackmoore who have promised to prevent the citizens from having peaceful demonstrations in the streets? Are we not realizing that the country is going down a slippery slope of no-return? When are we going to say enough is enough? How much longer shall we allow these bunch of goons to wreak havoc within the justice system? When will we take a stand against the corruption, nepotism, bribery, and all other illicit activities that has impenetrated every sector of society? Was DOWASCO ordered to put a intoxicant in the water? Just curious.
Boy that is some wonderful writing I have to say. Not to worry, even the Christians who support this dictatorship would know that God rained Manner from heaven when the children of Israel were hungry (baked by angels) And when they were fed up of it they revolted. They got fed up with Jesus to the point where he was killed.
Essentially, the stakes were much too high to convict Mr. Grant. Common sense dictates that a conviction would seemingly have opened up a can of worms thus revealing a well organized conspiracy which would potentially implicate many in high places.
Young man please find something constructive to do with you time and seize with the idea of a conspiracy. While we agree that we need to do a better job within our justice system, as well as in the investigative unit, you and your companion/click need too stop blaming the PM for everything going on in Dominica. Thankfully for some of us that incompetency also exist in the US.
Whatever favor that the PM did not grant to you and your friends, let that not cause personal hatred towards a young man like yourself.
One Love Dominicans!!
You sound so foolish and ignorant.All I can say is I pitty you.
If Dominica Could Talk
If Dominica could talk
What would she tell
Of those priests and pastors
Folded arms in deep prayers
Piously paying no heed
To despicable deeds
Of some persons in charge
Who tell lies in barrage
Would she expose their
charade?
If Dominica could talk
Excerpt from the poem -If Dominica Could Talk -by Arundell Thomas.