David Lewis, 43, of Scotts Head was handed a suspended sentence for stealing a bunch of banana from Germaine Nicholas of that same community.
If he commits a crime between now and this time next year he is expected to pay $2,000 or spend six months behind bars.
Lewis appeared in court on Tuesday before Magistrate Evalina Baptiste.
According to the facts of the case, on April 3 the complainant informed police of the missing bananas and the suspected theft.
Police went in search of Lewis and when he was approached and questioned on the April 17, he admitted to the offense saying, “I take it but I did not sell it, I take it for me to eat.”
In his plea for leniency Lewis told the court, “I never come to court before, I just come out and fish and I take it for me to cook.”
In handing down the sentence Magistrate Baptist reminded Lewis of the gravity of stealing agricultural produce, however she took into consideration Lewis had no previous offenses and in pleading guilty he did not waste the court’s time.
For now Magistrate Baptist has requested that Lewis pay $40 in compensation or spend three weeks in prison.
Stealing is wrong, when one labour and plant one should not steal from the fruits of his or her labour.
Thou shalt not steal under any circumstances. He should have asked and also offer to pay for the bananas. However, I wonder if he had only asked without offering compensation would he have been give the bananas?
There are times for a small amount, the owner should have forgiven him and informed him never to steal again and if he wants figs, he should ask and yes pay for them. Is this asking for too much?
Our Lord said: “Unless you forgive from the heart neither will my heavenly Father forgive you.”
There are times we have to live and let live that God may bless and grace us. There are some people who just love taking others to court and over a minor infraction. What type of Christians are they?
We must keep in mind that Our Lord Jesus Christ forgives us for greater sins. If He would turn His back on us for the first sin we commit, what would happen to us? We surely would never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Christians ought to know that they cannot enter God’s Kingdom if they do not forgive and from the heart. I am wondering what Our Lord Jesus Christ is thinking about that man who took the other to court over a few figs. Christians, give this a thought.
fig is all over dominica,magistrate is a joke just have the guy do some kind of community service,he admitted he cooked the fig,
This is really unfortunate. He could have asked instead of stealing. It takes several months of care and hard work to grow a good bunch of bananas and the owner must have been fed up to take this matter straight to Court.
It is frightening that for a while now, some Dominicans have been blatantly disrespecting the property of others. The situation may become worst before it gets better with increasing number of persons who either have no jobs or who do not want to work or who work for pay that cannot meet their day to day needs.
It will take a NATIONAL effort to correct this situation.
I am not saying the man right to steal bananas, but when I read the sentence it seems it is cheaper to kill in DA because you get away with it! No suspended sentence!
the man was hungry, best he eat the banana than to sell it to buy drogs.
OK SERIOUSLY. STEALING IS WRONG. BUT MY QUESTIONS IS WHAT’S UP WITH THIS? HE COULD REALLY ASK FOR THE FIG BUT U REALLY GOING TO GO THAT FAR BECAUSE D MAN TAKE A BUNCH OF FIG ON A TREE, COME ON MAN. U COULD CONFRONT D MAN AND TELL HIM PAY U FOR THE FIG OR SOMETHING OR NEXT TIME ASK. DA PEOPLE TOO DAMN BAD. IT DIDN’T HAD TO GO THAT FAR. BESIDES HE CONFESSED HE DIDN’T PLAY WRONG AND STRONG. I REALLY SHOULD GO STUDY MY LAW BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE MAGISTRATE IN DA FULL OF IT……
Why are you upset that the farmer reported the case to the police? The man cleared his land, dug the holes, planted his fig, weeded the garden, paid for help as needed. Then comes the time to harvest, David Lewis thinks he has a right to just walk into the man’s garden and help himself to the man’s property?
It is that kind of thinking that has Mr. Lewis doing what he did. The guy has no respect for other people’s property. I support Germaine Nicholas 100%. Unlike Mr. Lewis, Mr. Nicholas did not take the law into his hands. He acted entirely appropriately. Kudos to the man.
It is not nice to take something thats belong to someone he should ask or buy it where ever.Or at lest sell some of the fishes and buy the bananas some ppl just like it the hard way.
I can’t imagine an adult person committing crimes when they ought to know better. I don’t condone, but can understand a juvenile doing that, but a 43 year old? Come on man.
I am sure if he had asked the farmer to do a day’s work in his garden he would have been give all the bananas he could eat, plus make a few extra dollars for himself.
A MAN THAT CALL THE POLICE FOR THAT WOULD HAVE NEVER GIVEN HIM THE BANANA. ALTHOUGH WHAT HE DID WAS WRONG………………….SOMETIME IN LIFE WE DO SILLY THINGS ON AN IMPULSE NOT THINKING WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN LATER UNTIL ITS TOO LATE. ANY CRIME IS A CRIME BUT THE SENTENCE WAS A BIT HARSH.
so what happened to ASKING your neigbhour?…with a little PLEASE…
THIS SENTENCE IS HASH ONE YEAR PROBATION OR $2000 AND $40 FINE. HE DID WRONG
TO ME FIRST OFFENSE THE PUNISHMENT IS REALLY HARD.
Do you know how many he stole before? Stealing is a big problem in D/ca and I think a strong message needs to be sent out to those who steal from those farmers who work hard to grow their crops.
A MAN STEALS A BUNCH OF FIG TO EAT HE HAD TO PAY $40 AND A 1 YEAR SUSPENDED SENTENCE, A MAN UNDERVALUE LAND AND ROB THE TREASURY OF OVER $57000 HE WAS ASKED TO PAY IT BACK. A MAN STEAL A BOX OF DRUMSTICK FOR HIM TO FEED HIS FAMILY AND HE WAS SENT TO JAIL. A MAN STEALS OVER $400K TO BUY BINS AND ROB THE TREASURY OVER $200K AND HE WAS ASKED TO PAY IT BACK.
WE ARE IN A SORRY STATE OF MORAL DECAY. I FEEL SORRY FOR THE FIGMAN, STEALING IS WRONG AND SHOULD BE WRONG FOR ALL..
THE ENDORSEMENT FOR CRIMINAL ACTIVITY WAS GIVEN BY THE CHURCHES, MEN IN HIGH OFFICE, PASTORS, PRIEST, JUDICIARY AND EVER PERSON WHO BENEFITS FROM CORRUPT DEALS..
NOT EVEN RASTA NOWADAYS ARE LOOKING FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS AND JUSTIS.
AMEN……………….
STEALING ONE’S PROPERTY IS WRONG BUT HE WAS HONEST BY ADMITTING HIS WRONG DOING
Haha you made me laugh. An “honest” thief!! He must be Bulldog and Germaine Nicholas must be Mr. Spencer!!
I wonder if the victim of the crime feels any level of satisfaction on the verdict?
Only $40 compensation? That’s rough on the victim…
Quote of the week “I take it but I did not sell it, I take it for me to eat.”
one hand was enough for him