Leader of the United Workers Party (UWP) Dr. Thomson Fontaine is calling for the dismissal of charges brought against him and two other members of the party seven years ago.
The charges stemmed from an incident that dates back to February 7, 2017. On that day, the United Workers Party (UWP), which was the parliamentary opposition at the time, held a meeting on Kennedy Avenue in Roseau calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, following which several businesses were vandalized in the capital city. Several opposition members were subsequently charged with inciting violence and obstructing justice.
Dr. Fontaine who was addressing a press conference this week said these cases are clearly politically motivated, and have no basis in the law or justice.
“The Director of Public Prosecutions [DPP], she is the one who has to say that there is no merit in any of those cases,” he remarked. “Other individuals who were charged like us, like the current Speaker of the House of Assembly, those charged have been dismissed. He is no longer before the court.”
He continued, “I think it will also send a very strong signal in terms of national reconciliation, national healing, because we are way too divided in Dominica.”
Dr. Fontaine believes that should be a very strong gesture if the DPP takes the lead and annuls the process.
Furthermore, he indicated that the prime minister has some influence, “and he can, like me, raise our voices to ask for it and I see nothing wrong with that.”
Dr. Fontaine said after seven years one would understand what he and the members of his party had to be faced with.
“For me, it has been a very difficult time, and for what?” He asked. “I have done nothing wrong, so too [have] Lennox Linton and Mr. Edison James.”
He added, “And even to humiliate Mr. James that is really uncalled for. We need to have a kinder, gentler Dominica.”
Former prime minister of Dominica, Edison James who is facing incitement charges, was granted bail in the sum of $50,000 after the matter was sent to the High Court on Friday, February 16, 2024.
Mr. James’ bail had run out and so a new application had to be made. The application was subsequently heard by the Magistrate who granted bail in the sum of $50,000 with one surety.
James was charged along with former opposition leader Lennox Linton and current leader of the United Workers Party (UWP) Dr. Thomson Fontaine.
The matter was adjourned to May 24, 2024.
Thomson, at this point, you and your co-defendants simply should petition the court for a total dismissal with prejudices of this bogus political prosecution based on the statue of limitation.
The reason there is a statute of limitation in common law, which in the more developed world is “five (5) years; is because after five years evidence gets lost, witnesses die, memory of the incident fades away; some people drop out of site and can’t be found.
One may have to call a witness, be it for the defense, or the prosecution, who can’t even remember what they had for breakfast, never mind something that happened seven years ago!
Dominica is a screwed up place, but the fact that Roosevelt Criminalized Isaac, also the prosecutor should have drop his bogus charges when they decide to let Isaac walk free without a trial!
Don’t the corrupted Livy, Roosevelt and such dirty scoundrels know the world is watching all of the corruption within the judiciary and government?
Only in…
In every democracy there is something know as: “Statute of limitation: defined as ” a law that defines the maximum amount of time in which parties involved in a dispute must initiate legal proceedings following an alleged offense. The duration of a statute of limitations varies depending on the nature of the offense and the location of the jurisdiction.
The only offense which doesn’t have any statute of limitation to prosecute in every country of the world is murder!
Written in the law’s of Dominica, and that’s if I am not mistaken; it states that the statute of limitation for prosecution of a criminal offence is six (6) years, therefore neither Edison James, Lennox Linton, nor Thomson Fountain should be prosecuted on this criminal charge which is now; according to Fountain is seven years old?
The defendants in this matter should petition the court to quash, and vacate this bogus case of political victimization and harassment of the innocent! There is no basics; or merit…
What you should have done years ago, if as you say you’ve done “nothing wrong”, then you needed to instruct your lawyer to file a No-bill application (i.e. no case to answer) and if the evidence contained in the brief does not meet evidentiary standard of proof, and it is deemed that there is “no case to answer” as you seem to be suggesting, then the magistrate would be compelled to throw it out before it gets transferred to the high court. So, it seems to me that your lawyers have not done a good job representing and advising you, because once the matter is transferred to the high court, and an arraignment takes place, you have a case to answer. But if after the prosecutions presents its case, the elements which need to be proved for a successful prosecution are not made out, then at that stage, once again, your lawyer will have another opportunity to make a no-bill submission and have the charges dismissed, if that fails, you will need to answer the charges, and hope for the…
How can the DPP annul the process when the DPP, the DIP, the NEG, is one man Roosevelt Skerrit?
These charges brought against the UWP are politically motivated and patently FALSE. This is exactly one of the strategies from the playbook of dictatorial regimes all over the world. The corrupt judicial system is used to intimidate, harass, suppress, oppress and silence citizens who dare to oppose.
In any other jurisprudence in the Caribbean the DPP would have resolutely refused to prosecute these victims of a corrupt autocracy.
There are so many other legitimate and serious cases of murder, attempted murder, wounding with intent, rape, unlawful carnal knowledge, money laundering, drug trafficking languishing in the dysfunctional court for years. Yet, the court is being further bogged down with these frivolous ones.
My final point, the country is in dire financial straits. Teachers, nurses and other civil servants’ wages have remained stagnant for years. Contrary to common sense, many $millions are being spent just to embarrass four law-abiding citizens. Insane!
Thompson, Eddie and co-conspirators should realise by now that if they don’t want to do the time they should not do the crimes. They should plead to the court for leniency and not to Skerrit to try and influence the courts, unless they want to accuse him of interfering in the judicial system. A little time at her majesty’s pleasure might do them good. After all, Trump might be Elected as US President while serving time for his crimes. Why not them?
@Eagle-Eyed
Stupidness!!
What crime are you talking or garbling or mumbling about? Trying to overthrow a government with a stalled truck and some speakers? This can’t go any where. My question to you is how many millions have Skerrit spent so far paying the Trinidadian lawyers? Are you one of Melissas snipers, soldiers or navy seals?
Guy you are an idiot!
Committing a crime, and having to bare the burden for that crime is something totally different from known political victimization: if you were not ignorant of what you have suggested; perhaps you could explain how come Joseph Isaac, was also charged in the commission of the same crime you said was conspired by James and Fountain; meaning Joseph Isaac is also a conspirator, involve in the same crime.
However, without a court trial Joseph Isaac has walked free, and Roosevelt Skerrit made the same conspirator Speaker of the House of
representative. People like you are so dumb and blind to see that Edison, Thomson and others are being politically victimized simply because they oppose Roosevelt corruption?
The fact that Isaac, was allowed to walk free without prosecution, means that the charges are frivolous, therefore any judge or reputable magistrate, elected to hear the matter should recuse themselves, or dismissed the charges with prejudice!
YOU are one crazy SOB!
There is one local politician that deserves to be charged, arrested and jailed for all his crimes against country but like Putin, his corrupt and unjust police and judiciary are jailing those that call him out for his corruption while they are doing everything to protect and promote the Putin like behavior of this evil man. But as a believer of the Bible let me remind all of them that their day is coming according to Isaiah:5:20 “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!”
I wish I could call all the corrupt police officers, corrupt DPP, corrupt magistrates and corrupt judges by name and remind them that they and their families will one day punished by God for helping this evil man destroy our country but unfortunately I can’t call them by name because DNO will not post. But you corrupt and unjust people know yourselves and from now on you ought to put a Woe before your name
@The Unjust judge
You know nothing about president Putin of Russia, other than the foolishness that’s being echoed by some Dominicans. So i thumb you down for your emptiness. Putin is protecting his country against American aggression. Nothing more than that.