Former magistrate, G.O.N Emmanuel, who attracted significant public attention after his home at St. Aroment in Goodwill, was firebombed over seven years ago while he slept, has died.
Emanuel, a war veteran who served with the British Royal Air Force during World War II, earned a reputation for the stern sentences which he gave during his tenure as a magistrate in Dominica in the 1980’s.
During the Christmas 2010 alleged arson attempt on his home, Emmanuel and his wife barely escaped with their lives and despite pledges by former Police Chief Cyril Carrette and his successor, Daniel Carbon, to fully investigate the matter, no one was ever charged.
“I want to assure citizens of this country that this matter is being investigated professionally…..,” Carbon told DNO in January 2013 shortly after becoming Police Commissioner. “We must find the truth on G.O.N Emmanuel, we must investigate this matter, to dot every I and cross every T.”
However, more than seven years later, despite a confession by an individual claiming to set the fire, no charges have been brought. Many I’s remain undotted and many T’s uncrossed.
The former magistrate has gone to his grave with the belief that there was “a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice within the Police Force, and involving the Commissioner of police and the Executive Branch of the Commonwealth of Dominica” which he expressed in a letter to then-president Nicholas Liverpool in late 2011.
Emmanuel was also denied closure in another legal matter in which he filed charges against his former law firm partner Stephen Isidore, claiming that millions of dollars had allegedly passed through the partnership accounts without his knowledge and had not been accounted for.
The criminal charges against Isidore were not served as Isidore and his legal team, led by senior counsel, Tony Astaphan, succeeded in getting the high court to grant an order of stay to prevent more than 42 charges brought by Emmanuel from being read to Isidore.
The charges against Isidore were filed in 2010 some months before the firebombing of Emmanuel’s residence. It has languished in the court for more than seven years.
He was a highly principled man not keen to forgive anyone he perceived to have crossed him. This aspect of him, sadly led to his downfall. At the time of his troubles I did try to advise him on his best course of action to resolve them. He did not listen. I told him that the other side would do one of several things, or all of them to frustrate him: 1) being aware of his advancing age, just simply ‘stay things out until he passed away’; 2) kill him (an attempt was made on his life). I had advised that he should have done a deal with the Man to enable the ex Partner to be thrown under the bus so that both of them could move on with their lives and to enable him to at least get some of his money back. He told me that he was a big lawyer, had everything under control, etc.. But I knew better and all that I told him came to pass. For those of you who think you can take on the ‘protected’ ones, think again. Never do that – always aim for win-win, it is the best way. RIP GON!
My Deepest Condolences to the bereaved, especially his family during this most difficult time of grief & loss. Eternal Rest Grant unto Him Oh Lord Jesus, & May Perpetual Light shine upon Him, May He Rest in Peace! & May His Soul, & All the Souls of the Faithful departed through the Mercy of God, Rest in Peace!
Amen! God Bless His Legacy & His sustained witness to Integrity, Character & Justice in our beloved Nature Isle! May You be With the Lord who neither Slumbers not Sleeps…
My condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Emmanuel. May he rest in peace.
May your soul R.I.P his honoured deceased G.O.N Emmanuel!
The woes of G.O.N Emmanuel case at the hands of Dominican judicial and legal providence is a travesty of justice on any other theory than that it is justice delayed is justice. Either there must be a future, or consummate injustice sits upon the throne of the universe. This is the verdict of humanity in all the ages.
He was a very good friend of my deceased father and helped us tremendously in legally. So sorry to hear. May his soul rip in peace.
Imagine a system deny an elderly man justice to his grave . wicked !
Labor is totally responsible. The retired public servant waited in vain for justice after an unprovoked attack at his dwelling. The inept Dominica Police Force, led by Carbon, “Big Mouth Rayburn” and the rest of the cronies never brought an once of justice to him. May his soul rest in eternal peace. I hope he comes back and torment Rayburn, Carbon and Roosevelt at night.
How could any God fearing, decent minded person support a government that is comprised of such devilishly evil and exceptionally corrupt power mongers? The stench of corruption associated with this administration is much worse than that of a skunk. Dominicans take careful note of the suspects who were named by G.O.N. Immanuel: Chief of Police, the Senior Counsel (worst human being on earth), the Executive (Skerrit & his loyal disciples), plus others. It’s all downhill for Dominica once these utterly depraved scoundrels hang on to the seat of power.
Imagine, these guys sell the National Bird, use voodoo mathematics to count government money, declared false coup d’état, used the military Force to harass and arrest totally innocent people, completely destroyed the Middle Class with their rabies-infected policies . I now rest my case.
Condolences to the family of this servant of of our beloved country and may his soul rest in peace.Justice delayed is justice denied.Look how long G.O.N. Emanuel waited for justice and at the hands of the incompetent judges working for the CCJ there was no justice for him in this life.One can point to so many instances of incompetence by the CCJ, the contractors organization took the matter of the illegal bridge contract in Roseau to court, the bridge has been built and yet no word from the sleepy court, they also brought the matter of the 1000 houses to court and by the way the court operates I can conclude that the houses will be built before the matter is brought for a hearing.The court so far based on it’s track record was a mistake and it looks like it is a burden on the backs of Caribbean people especially Dominicans.So now the government,the president and the judiciary doesn’t serve the people so the people might soon start to have to serve themselves to get justice.
They will answer to the crimes,Starting with Tony,they will have slow sufferings.
May your soul rest in peace, old warrior. I wonder if his estranged protege and fellow legal practitioner will have the balls to attend his funeral?
(Ref. the dominican.net of 16 May, 2016 ” The Panama papers a lawyer and Dominica’s missing millions). Vengeance is mine said the Lord.
I cannot believe that the eastern Caribbean supreme court can feel proud about the justice they have served to Mr Emmanuel. I say SHAME on all judges of that organization.
How many more matters are there in legal limbo because you have allowed it , or your colleague has allowed it.
Shame shame shame shame on the CCJ
R.I.P Sir! A debt every living creature must pay-.( Death )
But is this a tribute to the man or is it a political 2110 FIRE BONBING MOVIE script? ( Talking of Actors and Players).
Even in death politics can not be avoided.
Dominicans Carrette Carbon Skerrit Astaphan Seco and Deny. Mr Emanuel is gone but will never be forgotten 2018 you guys going to pay for it the evill that u all did u gonna pay big time mark my words god saw everything. we had erica them maria and very bad weather lately more is on its way Esidor cannot stop it .
Isidore the ……… lawyer and pm skerrit just remember god does not like ugly. Justice will prevail on u and ur children and ur children children. No evil deeds will fo unpunished.
Emmanuel was likely right on both accounts. The justice that once prevailed is no more. Times have changed and not for the better. Gone is a better time and now Mr. Emmanuel.
God knows the truth let him be the judge. Sir RIP.
if we subscribe to that philosophy we would not need courts, or even lawyers, would we? Good luck,
Strange day to die. Easy door should fear he doesn’t resurrect by Monday.
I have thought of this long and hard before posting my comments because I did not want write one out of emotion, but one can’t help bring emotional. This man has given his entire life to the service of humanity and what he got back in return was humiliation and disrespect. What is worst is that he gave so much to the justice system and it failed him. His death without obtaining justice is an indictment on all those involved and I am speaking here of directly, by association and those who just chose not to get involved. There is no way to correct this with Mr Emmanuel now. Nonetheless, let’s lift this curse from our nation and let his widow join him in peace with good news when the creator decides to reunite them.
I believe the greatest judgement is reserved for the ungrateful he literally made who he is shame. I can’t call you the name I want to call you through this medium.
I plead the blood of Jesus over our beloved nation.
One thing I know the blood of mr Emmanuel
Is on skerrit and Tony’s shoulder
if only Dominica was a real country mr Emanuel and his wife would have got justice
I meant you ………. need to RESPECT people you know!
Sleep in perfect peace soldier!
You came, you served, you were misunderstood, brutalized and robbed of you trust and dignity. But god is good all the time so heaven has a place reserved for you. Thanks for your service sir and rest assured your legacy will continue to live on
Assertive but sad!
Skerrit said NO LAWS NO CONSTITUTION , there are hundreds of cases in the cold case file never to be heard .
De man die before some justice we boi, DA a cruel funny place that is why the weather giving them hard blast so
Yes, you are so right and under the worse corrupt government ever in Dominica and if not the Caribbean, maybe only Haiti has surpassed u. I bet that some within this corrupt Labour government including some Senior Counsels know very well who was involved. These people so called misfits do not have Dominica at heart. RIP GON
Some very interesting names DNO mentioned in this very interesting article. We
see Cyril Carrette, Daniel Carbon, we see Stephen Isidore, personal attorney of (Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit), though his name is not mentioned; then we see Nicholas Liverpool late president of the commonwealth of Dominica, senior counsel Anthony Astaphan, voice of the government of Dominica who even reported on who bite the hand of Pierro, when he stretched it to them. Sadly we did not see the name of then national security minister, now president, Charles Savarin, who was on the radio telling the nation who he thought was involved in the fire. No matter how we look at it the above names are responsible for the state of Dominica today, both good or bad
Amen, I agree with you. Al these so called “Good and Dirty stained Citizens ” will one day have their day in court. They a seem to be align to a corrupt leader and government.
And if they mention their names you will go pick up a check in the treasury in your name and save it????
Boy some people smart we borjay.
But good thing you mentioned it. Guess you reach your goal in life.
Thanks for making our true Dominicans popular.
As I said we have not much to do in terms of promoting the names of our people nah. You all doing a dam well good job at it.
Keep it up.
Sympathies to family . One day justice will prevail when this rogues fall out. What a shame in the land of the Commonwealth of Dominica.
R.I.P Mano an example to society.
One day justice will prevail when this rogues fall out. My God,, we await on that Day…we have patience……we need to cleanse Dominica of these rogues.
One fing i know, when i was a likkle tot, those gone, had the ability of exacting justice from beyond . Are they able to these days ? i don’t know, but all those guilty of denying this man his justice, keep allu fingers well crossed .
Dominicans should teach Roosevelt Skeritt a lesson at the polls, when the next general elections are called, because of the manner he handled the case of G.O.N. Emanuel. The evil that men do, no longer lives with their children, when they are gone, but with them, while they are on earth.
Bogo Roy I remember you when I was a kid watching diving and going after the ball. If we D/cans want justice whatever we have to go after it like you went after the shots taken U in the goal. We have to sacrifice and physically emove em. Some will have to pay the physical price. We can only do it with a March13 th-like undertaking a hundred fold. All the aforementioned in the article and the quiet ones who are benefiting.
Who are to judge, judge no man. Let the man RIP.
Roosevelt Skerrit have the Russians to depend on just like Trump depended on them to win the election in the USA. Dominica is in a mess and the people have to be held accountable for that. Mr. Emanuel is gone but one day justice will prevail .R I P brother.
Earl Williams should be his lawyer bro.
RIP Emmanuel. God still seats on the throne. Justice comes from the Lord.
The word is “sits” not “seats” . Learn to spell please
You are right of course but since one sit on a seat I do not see a big transgression.
LEARN 2 SPELL It is usage not spelling. Like when to use To & Too learn differentiate.
God doesn’t care about the spelling
“Emmanuel was also denied closure in another legal matter in which he filed charges against his former law firm partner Stephen Isidore, claiming that millions of dollars had allegedly passed through the partnership accounts without his knowledge and had not been accounted for.”
Of late everything done or to be done in Dominica is through CBI money, which I interpret as ‘crime blood investment.’ As I follow the the link of the alleged Court matter where GON Emmanuel allegedly claimed that millions passed through his partnership account, without his knowledge, I am asking myself if that was not CBI money and if so, I am asking if we should not also say that CBI money may have contributed to the death of Mr. GON Emmanuel? Mr. Pm would I be wrong to ask if CBI money played any role in the untimely passing of GON Emmanuel, since his court matter was blocked the Court, that supposed to give justice to all? Based on circumstances surrounding his premature death, I hold CBI…
The more I read of the conspiracy against Mr GON Emmanuel, the plot to burn him and his wife to death on Christmas day of 2010, the better I understand why, from that year Dominica is being pounded by hurricanes and flood waters year after year. I say so because of the players involved in denying Mr. GON Emmanuel justice. Take a look at all the names listed in this article my friends and you will realize how they all connect to the tree of justice in Dominica and, yet GON Emmanuel was denied justice. I will even go further by stating that Dominica denied GON Emmanuel justice because from the morning of Christmas 2010, when we saw what happened to him and how he was treated, there should have been a national outcry regardless of our race, religion or political affliation. Yes, I know many of us will say we didn’t try to firebomb the man in his house, on the birthday of our Lord but, in the eyes of God all those who suppressed him in the cover up is as guilty as Judas.
God is not a police, he will put on his pajamas but will never sleep. woe to the evil hands who oppressed this legend. R.I.P GON
Christmas is the day we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Lord, whose name is also Emmanuel, which means God with us. Some how the evil gangsters chose the early morning of Christmas of 2010 to set the house of GON Emmanuel on fire, when both he and his wife were asleep. No doubt it was an attempt to kill him. Coincidentally, GON EMMANUEL, died on good Friday, the day that reminds us of Judas, who walked with him and betrayed him, Pilate who heard the false accusation against Christ but denied him justice by washing his hands, making him as guilty as those that killed him. The question is who is the Judas of GON Emmanuel? Who is the pilate’ which represents the political and judicial figure? May their lives be as miserable as the life of Judas, who later hung himself, though I don’t with anyone would hang themselves. To all the gangsters involved, I do wish and hope that the death of GON Emmanuel torments them the rest of their life on Earth.
Amen! May justice be served in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!
Can you show me where in the bible that states the birth date of Jesus? Who wrote the bible any way, and how do you know that the stories in it are even authentic?
My condolences to his family and all those who mourn his death. I do wish former police commissioner Cyril Carrette peace of mind for his role in the investigation of Mr. GON Emmanuel as I remind him that there is a Good above who rewards everyone according to their works
As for that Daniel Carbon I don’t know what to wish him except to wish that he be treated the same way that he treated Mr. GON Emanuel, whether good or bad. Remember “Emmanuel means God with us” and he will treat us just as we treat others
To his wife and family condolences you he will rest in peace
And all you wonder why there is so much disasters in the land? There is no justice. Seven years man? When poor malayway go thief a cube cheese is justice right away but embezzle millions and the case languish in the courts for years. But the powers that be can only do to the people what they are willing to tolerate.
Condolences to his family…
The criminal who Shillingford alleged paid him to fire bomb Gong’s house and his accomplice who escaped to the United States, the one who got into the accident when the master mind behind the attempted murder taking him to Melville Hall Airport to escape must be very happy.
They will never be held responsible for their criminal act, and conduct.
But when a dog has a habit; it cannot drop that habit, the one who seek treatment in Marigot for the injury he sustained when they had the accident while hurrying to escape, will get his where he is in hiding here. He will forget he is in America, and try some crap with an American, and they will nail him!
FET , wasn;t it Bobby Kennady the President’s brother, taking on the Mafia said.” These people are animals, I would like to destroy them personally”
Isn’t this applicable in the political mafia cabal de la Dominique today?
Doc, I responded to you, but DNO an dem out it out oui!
Dem perhaps think what me say it too harsh; but you are correct, some people need to be eradicate from among civilize people, the brother of the president at the time did what he was suppose to do and his efforts sent the mafia as you knew them underground, and the majority into prisons where many died from old age and natural disease.
He cleaned up La Vegas: as a result his life was scarified the same as his brother who as president gun down in Dallas. Did I tell you somebody try to kill me and (Do You Want Me) in Dallas on I-20?
Boy wait until we talk; I doh know if they will print this wan eh!
Garcon you always talking some crap. For a big man I find you to be quite childish with your comments. Grow up garcon! If you have nothing sensible to say just keep quiet!