Goodwill resident Royston Ferdinand was given a final chance to clean up his act, after he was spared a custodial sentence.
Ferdinand was at the time appearing in court for the third time on drug related charges.
The defendant pleaded guilty to the possession and intent to supply 313 grams of cannabis when he appeared before Magistrate Candia George on Tuesday.
He was initially charged with three other individuals but charges against them were dropped after they pleaded not guilty.
The details of the case, according to the police prosecutor are that Ferdinand was apprehended when police found the cannabis at his home during a warranted search on February 26, 2012.
“I sell weed at times but since all you hold me I cool down,” Ferdinand told police when confronted.
A quantity of cash, EC $371.96 and US $9 was found and confiscated as proceeds of crime.
Ferdinand admitted to police that it was collected from the sale of “weed” and “wrappers.”
His lawyer Wayne Norde pleaded with the court not to impose a custodial sentence while acknowledging that his client had committed three offenses of the same kind.
He asked for a reasonable forthwith fine as opposed to a prison sentence and stated that his client was quite remorseful.
In response Magistrate Candia George stated, “I will give you one more chance. You know that marijuana is illegal in Dominica,…It will give you a little fast money..,. in the end it’s not worth it. Think about your daughter and all the people who are dependent on you.”
Ferdinand was fined $2,000 of which $1,000 will be paid forthwith or he spends three months in prison while the other $1,000 was ordered to be paid by April 30, failing which he will spend three months in prison.
You see everybody has their views and opinions about the situation and they has the right to. But my question is what is the system which is basically the people that protect the laws doing to solve the problems which causes individuals to turn to these ways of making money? We often criticize person action but never giving solutions.or wanting to know the bigger picture. IT A HUSTLE FOR SURVIVAL IN DOMINICA.After all these years Dominica is getting worst and harder to survive as average person looking for his or her own.
rather than all u tellin the man he should not engage in it its wrong those are kind of comments i hearin i guess all of all u just support the ganja
they have all kind of radical in d place raping tourist and run dem from dominica, dem wortless lazy police cyah find them but the hunting down marijuana,well sah? man killing man and getting 14yrs jail still nyaming my tax money and coming back out. dominica fix d dam laws and leave d lil poor man dem alone
I get fed up when people disregard the law the then the court have to say things like “Think about your daughter and all the people who are dependent on you.”
I have a daughter and people dependant on me and you don’t see me selling no drugs. He will do it again. Some people too lazy. All those Haitians and others coming here and finding work to do. Our people just want easy money. I hope the next time, and believe me there will be a next time, they throw the book at you. Is people like you with your “weed” that spoiling the youth of this land.
Bob take it easy, they doing worst than you keep your head up
Why do you think they give him a break,for the third time? Guess who is his grand father.I am surprised that they got a warrant in the first place.
“no idiot” change your name to “idiot”. stop minding people business and go and empty out the skeletons in your closet. some of all u too like to take things further than they should go.
I’ve known royston as kids and he’s harmless. I’m not sure what the fascination is with drugs but these same police, judges and attorney general let 2 murderers go free and one attempted murderer still playing in band. I’m not saying Royston should break the law but you have people assaulting and causing bodily harm to teachers and regular people, you have murderers roaming the road and facebook yet you after royston for drugs. stupppesss
let people smoke their weeds if they want too. the police need to catch the real criminals. Cigarette is worst than weeds..
DNO, I WAS IN THE COURT TODay and the magistrate asked the media to cover a matter concerning 2 fish vendors, and your report instead has a matter of insignificance to the public. Please be more professional and help educate the public> that si why the magistrate asked the media to cover the FISH VENDORS MATTER!
stan u have been given a chance make better dicissions thinks of ur princess iight be more carefull
wit da life we living
stupees tan… those papas the police, judges and magistrates seem to be afraid of them?????
Marijauna is just a spec in this giagantic drug world……
I wonder who accounts for all the monies that are ceased from such raids.??
DNO Admin. has the habit of not posting certain comments that they don’t like. This individual ‘tiny’ is an exception!!! Is DNO endorsing what he is saying???
give me a break….you want him to steal to support himself?….leave the man sell his marijuana…
we have people continually raiding people gardens and yards….they go to jail …they come out they do it again…they go t jail they come out they do it again….the police have become accustomed to these acts and characters…so they don’t do much about it… best you doh even report that a crime have been committed against you …only a few get caught..the police sit back and do nothing because they expect these parros to steal…but i do not believe the parros are responsible for certain attacks such as the attacks on the french and German tourist…you need to tell the cops to be vigilant because the bigger criminals are taking it for granted that the parros always getting away with their crimes….you dad do not need any more chances
people…i mean the crackhead are the one dong the raid on people yard and garden…raid = theft
oh brother
Hustle for hustle, how can your reasoning stretch from selling weed to stealing? Are there no other options?
Living a reckless life is your call, but with a child involved, I think a regular income (legal), would be worth more in the long run than depending on drug money solely.
Some may disagree with me, but let your ganja field get pests (of all kinds)…then what?
you still going to end up stealing!
Getting quick returns is addictive too!
Tiny, how small can you get?
That’s a good reply to tiny. Ha! ha!
People like you that put DA as it is
I think the police should search down your house too.