One of two cases against Police Officer Chris Defoe has been struck out for want of prosecution.
In July 2019, Defoe who at the time had under ten years’ service in the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF) appeared before a Roseau Magistrate charged with theft.
According to documents read in court, the prosecution alleged, between May 1 and December 5, 2017, Defoe stole a bullet proof vest at Police Headquarters valued at EC$500.00.
He was not required to enter a plea in the matter because it has passed the six months limit and so it was laid indictable.
At the Preliminary Inquiry (PI) on June 15, 2021, the presiding Magistrate raised concern over the fact that the case was nearly two years old and no progress was made.
The prosecution witnesses, though warned and summoned, failed to appear in court despite many adjournments.
Having taken these factors into consideration, the matter was struck for “want of prosecution.”
Defoe, however, still stands charged for allegedly stealing a motor vehicle in 2020 belonging to Lyra Humphrey of Portsmouth valued at EC$23,000.00.
Since the matter is indictable, the accused was not required to enter a plea as the case is expected to be heard at the High Court of Justice before a Judge and jury.
The case is currently in PI stage at the court and Defoe is represented by Attorney-at-Law Dawn Yearwood Stewart.
Arrest a police for “stealing” a vest? A $500 item? SMH. So much theft that goes on with the “bigger boys” and a considerable more cash than that is never brought to the court and the man was arrested for “stealing” something that’s apart of his work? Imagine Fort Young Hotel arresting chef cause they stole an apron and didnt “check it out”.
Before I would sit at the Court for the entire day to listen to both sides of the argument pertaining to our laws and constitution. Thanks to Roosevelt Skerrit today we all know that our Court system is not about law and constitution but a corrupt system based on lies and money. Just check the Mehul Choksi case for example .
Before I would spend entire day listening to the parliament debate. But thanks to Skerrit the parliament is now an animal farm, where truth does not exist and speaker is bought to block the truth.
Before I use to listen to DBS, other radio stations and read the news paper to know the truth and what’s going on. But today thanks to PM Skerrit, DBS has become the lead propaganda machinery of Skerrit, media and journalists like poopoo flies. So in essence Skerrit has destroyed the country and if we have to know the truth and what’s taking place on island we have to read foreign bloggers that are not afraid of being sued . What a dilemma!
Hello and good morning my people. This should never involved criminal charges rather it should have been an administrative issue with the Officer and the Police Department. I suspect that the Police Union didn’t properly negotiate rules concerning use of department property. In regards to the vehicle it’s my understanding that the title of the vehicle is in the officers name that would indicate he’s the owner of the vehicle but who paid for the vehicle is actually up for debate.
Police academy…not force…i dont see thst force to be effective at all…they have d uniform but is takleberry i seeing once i see one…we need to start swapping police oversees for our country to get back some sence of law….look at them… many of them their stomach are over their waist belt….imagine that….😁
Justice delayed is justice denied. The judiciary is rotten to it’s core. The key proponents, the cogs if you will, have been severely compromised and so it’s not surprising that this was the outcome. Police looking out for police in that they frustrate the system by doing a lousy job of collecting evidence and presenting it, and the court system which fails to enforce the laws, further compounds the inefficiencies. The police are supposed to be independent, so too the courts but they have lost their way as they take commands from their political bosses and make a mockery of the judicial system. It also shows that there are two judicial systems, one for the power structure and another very rigid and punitive one for the unconnected masses. Dominique pas douce kon seewoo ankor. It’s a damn shame when confidence in the government and the judiciary is at an all time low. How did we get here?
Can someone tell me which government office, department, ministry or entity serves the country well?
National Security, the judicial system, parliament, cabinet, every ministry and department of government, without exception, are a dismal FAILURE.
This Skerrit-DLP led government runs the country as if inmates are in full control of a psychiatric institution. What these bundling imbeciles are impeccably good at is winning elections using a insanely flawed electoral system.
Did he use the vest in the execution of his duties? Did he use the vest to go carnival jump up? Did he use the vest to go garden? Did he use to rent for criminals to go on crime spree. If a vest is part of your gear and you take it without registering i think there are other disciplinary actions other than charge for theft. Sounds like an over reaction. Are there not enough vest for officers on duty? Either way what a mess of a judicial system in this place.
Overkill! Just following the lead of their driver who cannot drive. This charge was so over the pale. It’s like using a bulldozer to get rid of the weeds in your backyard garden.
/THeft/
noun
the action or crime of stealing.
steal
take (another person’s property) without permission
Doesn’t matter what he used it for, since he took it without permission, it’s theft. If a cameraman at a TV station goes home with the camera without permission from his superior, he’d be accused/charged with theft.
But then again, in Dominica the law is for one set
“Doesn’t matter what he used it for, since he took it without permission, it’s theft.” That my friend i agree with you. But let me ask you this? If there is an emergency and you need an equipment for your duties and there is no one to sign out so you took in that situation would it still be theft. Everything is guided by time place and circumstances. He may well have taken without permission but the charge seems to have been applied in emotion and not reason. Sounds like a disciplinary action within force. Put him on desk duty at charge station. Re assign role. If that is the case why have we not seen the charges for murder of joshua Ettiene and the Prosper guy?
I have lost all trust and confidence in the Dominica police department and similarly, I have lost all confidence in our so called court system. What we have seen over the last few years with our police and court is a well calculated effort to make what is right wrong and what is wrong right. So we don’t even know what to believe with them
It’s not only the police and the court are malfunctioning. The entire public service is corrupt beyond repair under this morons who currently are in the apex position of government. Utopia for the 0.5% in office, distopia for the 99.5% of us.
Dysgenics also, because the stupid keeps multiplying.
Its a misnomer to call what we have in Dominica a police force.NO WAY!!! Many of those so called police officers are very terrible examples of law enforcement officers. Their allegiance is not to Dominica, but to a liar in chief. They got the job through Parl Reps, so they see themselves beholden to a corrupt political party. Many are semi illiterates, badly trained, and have great difficulty in speech, reading and writing. Few of them can write a proper statement! To top it all their leadership is terribly bad!
For the 14th time, i believe a Commission of Enquiry into this broken organisation is long overdue. Many of them should be sent packing.
Why those who allegedly killed Kerwin Prosper in their custody, are not brought to court and jailed?
Are they above the law?
How many were at Toucarie on the night of 23 May?
Why at opposition gatherings, the police are the ones INSTIGATING trouble?
You all take members of the public for dotish?
LOL..I don’t know about stealing the car but Defoe never stole no darn vest. The man took the vest for use during his duties as a cop because they did not issue him one. So what if he did not declare it? The storeroom and Senior officers give whom they want vests because they think their lives are worth more while others are exposed. So many police doing the same thing when it comes to bullet proof vests why don’t they just arrest them all? I would do the same darn thing if I was Defoe. Why don’t they go and arrest EVERYONE of those who it is alleged in the report put a serious “fatigue” on and killed Mr. Prosper? Fire burn wicked ones!