Curt Benoit, one of the three suspected cocaine dealers caught by Police last week in Castle Comfort in a major cocaine bust, has been granted bail while another suspect, Ricardo Barret of Jamaica, was denied that opportunity due to flight risk.
The decision was handed down about 4:00 p.m. today when both men appeared before Magistrate Evalina Baptist at the Roseau Magistrates Court.
Bail was secured for the 33-year-old Victoria Street man in the sum of $650,000.
The conditions of the bail demand that Benoit do not establish nor to be in contact with any other suspects in the case, submit his travel documents to the Police, do not interfere with Police investigations, visit the Police Headquarters daily and remain indoors from 6:30 p.m. to 6: 30 a.m. except in the case of extreme emergency.
Both men are facing charges of importation of cocaine, possession of cocaine and possession of cocaine with intend to supply.
The third accused, Kendrick Emmanuel, remains a patient at the Princess Margaret Hospital where he is nursing injuries sustained through a gunshot during the bust.
The cocaine was seized by police in a vehicle in which the men allegedly occupied.
During the proceedings Magistrate Baptist heard from the Police Prosecution team consisting of Claude Weeks and Lincoln Corbett who objected to the bail of the men. “Upon the strong evidence we collected so far and the possible likely sentence, which in itself is sufficient reason for both accused to interfere with the investigation, it is our intention to object,” Corbett pointed out.
The Prosecution had other concerns including the seriousness of the offence and that Barrette could “vacate the jurisdiction.”
Lawyer for the defendents, Zena Dyer in her plea for bail before Magistrate Baptist drew on the facts of the arrest. “My clients were not caught near the cocaine; I am saying the evidence is weak,” she said.
The veteran lawyer strengthened her plea by quoting a 2003 Privy Council case of similar nature. “To deprive bail based on interventions with investigation, there should be an identifiable risk with evidence to support that the defendants will interfere with witnesses or temper with evidence,” she said.
Dyer in challenging the seriousness of the offence and the amount of drugs involve, reminded the court of a 2007 case involving similar charges where two Calibishi men, Johnny Telemaque and Joseph Corbett, were granted bail after their first appearance at the Roseau Magistrate Court for an amount of 339,000 grams of cocaine, more than the 45,000 grams that Barret and Benoit are being charged with.
Dyer rebutted the prosecutions fear that the Jamaican Barret was a flight risk. “He has ties here, he works here and is engaged to a Dominica.” She added “It is unfair with all the CARICOM talk that a person could not be granted bail because they are Bajan or Jamaican.”
In handing down her decision to approve bail to Benoit, Magistrate Baptist expressed concern about the possible non availability of the defendant for the trial, or acts of intervention in the investigation. “The constitution treats the liberty of the citizen with such importance, I therefore will grant bail in respect,” she concluded.
Barrett was not as lucky. “You are afforded equal opportunity before the law,” she said to the Jamaican. “Whilst we agree we are CARICOM and all, it’s not about his nationality it is about he having a second place with substantial connections, and the possible cost of securing him for the trial.”
Both men are expected to appear in court July 11 when the trial will be held.
Any updates on this case?
THIS IS THE ONLY OPTION THAT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE THESE DAYS. U TRYING TO GET A JOB IT NOT EVEN PAYING YOU. COME ON EVERYBODY WANT TO LIVE COMFORTABLE, EVERYBODY WANT A GOOD RIDE AND DOE TALK FOR A HOUSE.
IF THE PEOPLE NOT GETTING JOBS THEY WILL GO INTO DRUGS. JUST CHECK THAT OUT HOW MANY MURDERERS GETTING AWAY JUST LIKE THAT. IT’S JUST NOT FAIR ON THE POOR MALAWAY.
free fragga,free kay kay,free owah.
So sorry to hear what happend to ricardo. Hold strong my friend
good to see you back on the streets curt. they cannot hold us down in newtown. money affi mek.
You are worse than a donkey!you good for the calaboos.J A I L
boy sphynx your nothing but a gay cop.
Bring Back Tiyani.. This is the only way to stop this madness.. Bring Back Tiyani
One day, one day, cnker day. i will live to see one of the fruits of Curt’s work, when in need of money to continue his habits, go to the house by the lawyer when she is at home alone. Tanto, Tanto. I will like to know what evidence will be demanded
well said my brother
i hope he does not go to allu mother house. Foolish. Everybody have their work to do including the lawyer. becareful what you wish on your neighbour
these are the persons who destroy our children’s future and pretend to be clean and genuine.
You mess up, you pay.
I hope the justice system do their work with no favour.
Keep on smuggling…………….We are all going to hell………………..Like the Bible said: ” The LORD looked down on the City and saw that NONE was good. They had all gone back.” Pastor, Priest, Saint and Sinner..All of them Dirty………so each to his own order and stop casting stones when all our houses are made of Glass.
you just fool of sh… Thats no reason to be an ………. or should i say fool
650,000. And how did that money come around? Did he or the person who put it up win the lottery? Because I know not any normal Dominican have that kind of money at all. I guess it must have come through as light but surely that must be followed up.
if is that d man doing for his life he smart. he put money aside so when he get trouble he can come out hellllooooooo…. can’t u see? this is where all d $$$$$$$$ come out.
I never said that’s not where it came from. I said did they investigate it, even if it looks ligit.
so you’re saying that parents are the only ones to be blamed? Although i do admit that many parents have contributed to the outcome of their offspring, i also believe that children do pick up nasty ways from the people they frequent (peers, friends, other family members etc) and their parents in no way support their bad habit and are totally against it.
We need to stop the blame game, everyone is responsible for his/her behaviour, we know what is right and what is wrong. To each his own.
this guy saved his money good since he has someone,to put up his bail,but guess what the government is going to fine him and let him free,once labour get their money they are good,wait and see more to come.
garson tou are confused.
Dominica is too small of a country to have so many drug users. we are really and truly infested with this drug problem .And it seems people are casting a blind eye to that.Its as though drug is legalize in the country and when you talk about it seems that you have become an outcast in society.When it comes to that drug thing you cannot trust anybody. it seems we have all become hypocrites and false pretenders cause the money circulating in our homes and buying snack for our girls at school.right now decent young ambitious men cannot find good women ,the drug dealers take all of them away.Even teachers loving drug dealers, tellers in the bank as well, police pulling up have drinks with some of these characters. Monday go on the beach and you will see what i am talking about. it seems now in Dominica we calling evil good and good evil. ITs ashame.
Well said!!! Time will tell.
well said!!
I AM ALL IN FAVOR FOR THE RELEASE OF CURT,JUST A YOUNG MAN INFLUENCE BY THIS DIRTY DRUG MAN.LEARN FROM THAT MY BOY AND LIVE BAD COMPANY ALONE. WHO IS THE BAIL MAN,HOW DID HE ACCUMULATE THOSE ASSET, WAS HE THE ESCAPEE? I WONDER.
Fellow Dominican brace up for the so called bush Lawyers all over to load this midium with the usual ranting and anti Law enforcement in our lovely Dominica. In my poinion the bail should be higher and more stringent for all involved we must send a clear message to would be Drug dealears that the penalty for poisioning our society is a serious matter that must be dealt with in no uncertain terms both in the pocket book and if you cannot do the time do not commit the crime! Ihave said my bit now I am awaiting lots of responses while I sit and sip a glass of wine cause most people jump whenever its those kind of sensationalized head lines. Come bring them on.
Is the bail money clean? Where did this money come from? A hundred pounds of coke, that is a lot of poison for our youth. I hope the punishment will fit the crime. 100 years in the calaboose. Laklay yo.
decriminalize the drugs i say….
stop filling our one little prison with drug addicts and drug dealers. it is a victimless crime. i would much rather see our prison filled with abusive and irresponsible parents. if these parents were to do their job properly, chances are their will be no need to wrorry about their kids using or selling drugs
drugs will never go away… the drug trade is a multibillion dollar industry …the richest and most powerful in scociety will ensure that it stays. i am in no way impying that alll the powerful people are involved in drugs but there is just enough of them to form a conspiracy.
there are so many evils a person can get involved in. a drug addict, can find countless other illegal forms of satisfaction.
do your jobs as parents..fathers hug your daughters and sons, spend time with them, have converstion with them. don’t just order them around. mothers stop criticizing and belitling your kids, stop nagging at them, congratulate them when they have done good diisciplene them in the right manner.
correction. there is enough of them involved to from a conspircy.
STUPID DONKEY YOU>>> Victim-less Crime???? what about all them pple who go mad and delinquent after using this drug?
i understand ur point but i dont want drugs to be decrimanailsed
where you you go school na? under canefield cliff man? looks like a big stone hit you on your head.
i agreed with you decrimanailsed the drugs let the addicts destroy thier own self.since there will not be profit in selling drugs innocent victims will be spared from the violence only the addicts will suffer.there are drug wars because of the profit in it.ciggarettes was illigal once upon a time and 1000 s of people got kill because there was great profit in the selling of cigarretes and wiskey this was the time of the mafias in the usa then cigarettes and wiskey were made legal to use profti went down to the minimum and boom no more killing for this stuff.the .legal or illigal the addicts will still get there drugs and only the dealers will be making the profit.