Bail application underway for police officers

courtLawyers for four police officers charged in connection with the death of Joshua Etienne of Portsmouth are presently applying for bail at the high court.

The officers, Orlan Vigille, Delvin Challenger, Martin Seaman, and Gemma Louis, have been on remand at the Stock Farm prison for two weeks now since the charge of murder was read to them.

The State led by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Evelina Baptiste, has strongly opposed to bail before and said the opposition will continue.

Attorneys for the officers,  Zena Moore Dyer and Gina Dyer Munro, from the law chambers of Dyer & Dyer, have been busy filing affidavits in support of their bail application.

They had requested that the prosecution make available to them documents the state has so far in the case.

That request was granted by the court.

Just over a week ago, Hayden Morgan, another police officer who was first charged with murder was granted bail after the DPP reduced the charge to Manslaughter.

The matter is now being heard in Chambers before Justice Errol Thomas.

Etienne was found dead in police cells in Portsmouth on July 2014, one day after he was arrested for alleged ammunition possession.

An autopsy on his body revealed serious injuries including several broken bones and a punctured organ, among others.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

18 Comments

  1. Felix AAron
    April 13, 2015

    DNO your writing is bad or you are malicious in your writings:

    “The State led by Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Evelina Baptiste, has strongly opposed to bail before and said the opposition will continue.”
    This do not make sense unless you intentionally wanted to be ambiguous.

    In what context did the DPP said the opposition will continue. The DPP is a judicial officer and is expected to deal with each case on its own merit.

    DNO you are not publishing news, you are publishing “roro”

    I hope it is not the breaking news beff journalist writing for you.

    You writing is dropping the standards of true journalism.

    I am waiting to see how long this comment will be awaiting moderation. For the information of the general thei comment was posted at 2:29 on Monday April 13, 2015.

  2. Langue kabwit
    April 13, 2015

    Just a curious mind asking a question. Where is the guy who murdered the young Benoit boy from Tete Morne in Grand Bay in full view of everyone at a night club? Is he on island and has that case ever been started in the magistrate court? Am not saying that the Police officers should not be bailed but let the process take its course, what is the rush they were the ones who were delaying the matter by bringing all types of judicial review in the matter. We must remember that God is not a Police.

  3. April 13, 2015

    What an island ,with so called lawyers who cashes in money to make sure that criminals are set free,when will someone kill one of their family ,or the politician’s family in order for them to do what is right ?i am sure that this time is not far ,crime touches all walks of like…it looks like police officers are paid to kill , destroy.,.walk out free from the court house while families suffer for their lose because no on cares…never forget in the days of an ex-prime minister P.John that many men were subdued to cutting there hair by force,shot by the police but also it was the opposite…foreigners read what is happening in dominica and judges that they are not visiting a safe place because after the crimes ,no one is punished not even after they are judged…politicians are only working for their monthly wage and political position….the population does not matter to them…what goes around always comes around…

  4. LANLU
    April 13, 2015

    all other cat and dog getting bail, so why not them…

  5. appeal court-student
    April 13, 2015

    God is definelty watching this Government servants, cause they are still employed.Other Police accused of much medicro offence compared to Murder were already dismissed.Remember O Tyson and that firearm incident,he was dismissed within days by the infamous past Carrette.So the rules of natural justice,due diligence,a right to be heard,laws of Dominica apply to one set of Police Officers and the next set have no rights,this is what happened justice was never done in Many of these Officers under Chief Carrette.

  6. April 12, 2015

    Where there is no vision, the people perish. We love D.n.o. see if that is posted.

  7. Catarina
    April 11, 2015

    Lawless for true ! So much so big heads have no comment?

  8. home boy
    April 11, 2015

    life is extremely cheap in skerriff country Dominica no law

  9. The Facts
    April 10, 2015

    Their attorneys have the right to request bail for them. Consider those who committed murder and they were granted bail.
    If I recall was it not last year that a man murdered a Bertrand from Laudat? He was not arrested at that time. The next day he was arrested and released without charge. At another time he was charged with murder.
    This baffles me. Guess what? If you recall the DPP allowed the accused murderer to travel overseas for what which was not revealed to D/cans. He was due to return in September 2014 for his hearing. Where is he? Do any D/cans know? Has anyone heard if he returned to Dominica to face the murder charges? I wonder.
    Therefore, the police officers have a right to bail and to be released on bail. Frankly, I feel sorry for them. I will not judge them until I hear what really occurred and even then I will not judge them.
    Keep up the spirit officers and pray to God for his Divine assistance.

    • laudat man
      April 13, 2015

      get your facts before you comment you know nothing of what you speak

  10. itassi4us
    April 10, 2015

    What is already done cannot be undone. The law is not for one set, crystal clear but t what is the problem that these officers cannot get bail. All sort are getting bail for murder. Just recently, a criminal from south murder charge was reduced to manslaughter and given $25000 bail. Crime was committed in cold blood, in full view of people. So just because some of the people at the DPP’s are connected to some of these sorts or their partners, they get better treatment. That’s not right. Just like tue law is for everyone, If some getting bail for murder, all can get. Corrupt!!

  11. Efficatious
    April 10, 2015

    when they brought Jesus before the governor Pilate,he said what crime has this man commit,the crowd said crucify him, the same is happening here.Had the team supported them and discipline them first.This would not have prolonged and get to that stage.” A team”.A mistake was made but by whom,Police don’t sleep in cells with prisoners.If you cannot trust your Police officers why enlist them in the first place.Save the Dominica Police Force

  12. anonymous2
    April 10, 2015

    And the circus continues.

  13. hmmm
    April 10, 2015

    Boy you see that country there. They better not set these police officers free. They have a thing saying “No justice, No peace”

  14. Shaka zulu
    April 10, 2015

    I hope they get the fresh meat treatment in stocky. :lol: According to hunter ” they joking Carl”. How does it feel to be locked up?? Hope the Police force learn a lesson. You are now taking a taste of your injustice. See how quickly the tables turn. Jemma already cost the state 400k after abusing padna from Possi. Now you know what it feels like. All you lucky is not one of those crazy prisons where they love when police come in. Make sandwich with y’all. Let it be a lesson for all. Do not abuse your power. It was given to you to protect others.

  15. not against
    April 10, 2015

    Why do we hate those officers that much? What happen to innocent until proven guilty? The young lady who murdered the two kids in mahaut was bailed and sent to Canada (2) the guy from Laudat got bail the same day (3) the Lander boy from castle comfort got bail committed offences while on bail (GBH) on a police ASP son and still got bail(4) The guy from castle comfort who killed the one from mahaut got bail came out and threatened to kill is child mother. And I can go on because there’s more. Hold on officers I won’t condemn you all until you have a trial.

  16. Titiwi
    April 10, 2015

    This smells very much like a connection to a drugs lord. Someone does not want the officers to spill the beans in court as to why they did what they allegedly did, their motive.

  17. grell
    April 10, 2015

    Nothing new then they will be set free.lawless country.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available