Theft of cigarettes lands man in prison

A Roseau man will have to spend the next 16 months in prison after stealing a box of Brussels cigarette valued at $39.59 from Green’s Wholesale.

Erickson Prevost, 49, appeared before Magistrate Evalina Baptiste at the Roseau Magistrate Court Monday morning and pleaded guilty to the charge of theft.

According to the facts of the case from police, on June 23, the defendant entered Green’s wholesale where he grabbed a box of cigarette from the cashiers counter and made good his escape.

The defendant walked to the Roseau Police Station last week when he was made aware that police was in search of him.“If all you have evidence, bring me to court,” the defendant told police during investigations. Police also read from a statement of Peter Green who pointed out that he witnessed the defendant when he committed the act.

In his mitigation plea the defendant, who was not represented by counsel, asked Magistrate Baptiste to allow him to pay a fine.

In handing down the sentence, Magistrate Baptiste considered that the accused has had 10 previous conviction of similar nature.  “It seems like you really not learning your lesson,” Baptiste said. “Each year you come here. You are 49, you are not changing?”

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12 Comments

  1. "Iron" Mike Tyson
    July 4, 2011

    Best to cut off a finger and release the man rather than putting him in prison for such a long time to be fed by tax payers money. That would be a far more valuable lesson for him.

  2. June 29, 2011

    i wander why these petty things have to be news to report , this is just showing how petty we are, this is nothing big in any other country, in any society’the news i am reading lately so petty when there are bigger and better things that will educate people and the response so (like that speech that pastor person or whoever gave)i doe get it iam confused dominica seems f,,,up.

  3. INTERPOL
    June 28, 2011

    muderers getting bail for murder.yet this man is sent to rot a a park of cigarete.is only poor peaple goin to jail right now shame

  4. .
    June 28, 2011

    Using tax payers money to fund this man in prison for 16 months for such a petty crime? How about focusing on the people who need proper justice.

  5. vip
    June 27, 2011

    THAT GOOD FOR HIM.Thou shall not steal.intead ask and you shall receive, not cigarettes but counselling for your addiction.

  6. me
    June 27, 2011

    If it was real food, i could understand….but cigarette man? well maybe it is food for him

  7. baby
    June 27, 2011

    too too idle why not go fish and sell dat to buy ciggarette send him jail self

  8. Anonymous
    June 27, 2011

    Mista is a dam sot why not vollier two lbs of sugar to make some squash instead..go in the heights to plant high leaf..?
    volier for volier volier something with vallier…sot

  9. Lavie Dominique!
    June 27, 2011

    Ridiculous nonsense, and those who stole millions are at large, you people re making a mockery of the justice system. Whatever happened to the punishment fitting the crime. This frigging country is a big fat joke!

  10. US BASED
    June 27, 2011

    YOU STEAL U GO JAIL. YOU KILL U SET FREE…BEST PLACE TO COMMIT MURDER IS DOMINICA THEY MUST LET U GO FREE…WOSH TOSH

  11. home girl
    June 27, 2011

    Woyyyyyyyyyy! :-D
    Make him pay double the cost f the cigarette, and still send him up to reflect on his actions! He too damn idle at that age.

  12. Bram-Bram
    June 27, 2011

    Boy look nonsense oui boy!!

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