The case involving attorney at law Bernard Wilshire and four others in an alleged plot to acquire the country’s passport through deceitful means, has been struck out for a second time for want of prosecution.
In 2011 Wiltshire, who is also a former Attorney General, Nash Mitchel, Kimana James, Lyndon Marie and Harolda Henry were charged with conspiracy to obtain Dominican passports by fraud.
The five appeared in a Roseau Magistrate’s court today Monday 13 July 2015.
During the proceddings, prosecutor Michael Laudat made a request to have the matter adjourned on behalf of the state citing its un-readiness as the reason.
The matter has had several adjournments and on Monday Magistrate Bernard Pacquette threw in the towel in frustration over the prosecution’s inability to prepare for the matter despite having sufficient time to do so.
The matter was dismissed for the second time.
A year ago, in July 2014, the matter was thrown out for the same reason but it was reinstated on 30th of July of the same year.
Back then, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Evelina Baptiste, said the reason for the reinstatement was based on the fact that the case’s dismissal was not based on merit.
When Dominica News Online sought Wilshire’s comments, he refused to saying anything noting that he will do so at the appropriate time.
However in the past he has always described the matter as an abuse of process.
No sympathy for the defendants, they are all part of the passport bobol.
This case seems to be yet another in a catalogue of failings on the part of the DPP and her staff, whether deliberate or not!!
How can they be ‘proud’ of their work on behalf of the state?
How is it that heads have not rolled after so many failings on the part of the State Prosecution’s Office??
Amazing………..
This is so sad how a member of the jurisdiction is being treated by its own kind. Not one of them came to stand up and supported Mr. Wiltshire. This matter is going on and on all because they want to spite D man, knowing that they know very well there is no evidence on him.. Let it go people, let it go. When we dig a hole for someone just remember to dig one for ourselves.
This system can’t stand, it can’t be endured by the peasants, it can’t be endured by the workers, it can’t be endured by our communities, it can’t be endured by the people nor can it be endured by the land, our land.
I ask those responsible to STOP this blatant injustice. In the final analysis it is still the taxpayers who will have to pay these citizens for wrongful arrest. Damn!!!
HOTEP!
Passports!! This is such a joke right! Now anyone can acquire a Dominican passport any where in the world they do not even have to come to Dominica to do so! This surely cannot be right but it is on the internet for all to see! Enough is enough in this case. Time to let it go.
deeeee country niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee boyyy *Music*
Congratulations Bernard et al
Go seat and read a book and live Mr Wilshire ALONE damm it
This is final vindication.
This is a stain on the honourable judicial process.
This is freedom for the five who have stood resolutely in the face of public persecution.
This is a sure signal that the time of accounting is coming.
Some lawyer in Dominica is going to convince Skerrit he has a case against Bernard Wiltshire, Skerrit he will believe the lawyer, who will extract about a million dollars perhaps more from the treasury to represent the corrupt cabal; with the hope they will succeed in victimizing Wiltshire especially; and hope they will hang the rest also.
I am positively sure had it been someone who isn’t a critique of the Skeritt led administration that case would have been dump into the garbage bin a long time ago. We have seen the same trend with Mr Lennox Linton, Mr. Lugay and Mr. Fontaine. The racketeering according to Skeritt at the Labor Division has been put to sleep.
It’s not done as we would like. DPP says she is bringing charges a third time.
And while the DPP wastes time and tax payer resources on political nonesense, abused children cases are unable to be properly investigated nor the culprits properly charged! For a country with little wealth we sure can find ways to waste what little we’ve got!
Now give back Nash his teaching job….the man was a serious and involved teacher, this nonsense case had the man unemployed for years.
We ALL Knew what the outcome of this case was going to be. It boggles the imagination that we could even dare to think that these “minions” could conspire to and successfully pull off such a scheme. They, meanwhile are happy to go to and from the circus, because whatever their spoils remain theirs and of course they are being protected by bigger minions….as they say, all’s well that ends well.
This is god’s work for the second time.
How much more time does the prosecution need to reach a state of readiness? Really! This is a travesty and the DPP and staff should be ashamed.
Mr.Wiltshire sir u told me that the case u have with me will definetly be in the next court of appeal sitting.I want to thank you publicly for representing me.It is not our fault that Justice Cottle did not judge the case on its merit on that day in court.The state attorney from the AG Chambers even acknowleged she was unprepared and the Chief D Carbon stated under oath that my conviction was spent and i was entitled to be enlisted.He could not defend his predecessors decision and the rules of natural justice allows me a right to be heard,a right to a fair trial.The procedure used by administration is null and void and u Mr. Wiltshire clearly explained and proved the case.however justice failed in his duty as a judge and my mother even said he was sleeping.wow.
Such a mockery of the court system. ..!
I will say it again. – ONE DAY we must get things right in this country…choops!
This case, just as the nonsense that is pending against the Salisbury people is strictly based on political agenda…..what sort of country have we become?
It should be obvious by now that the authorities do not wan this case to go to court because too much wrongdoing would be exposed. I firmly believe that fraudulent documentation has been used to obtain Dominican passports and that the people summoned are only small fry.
Everything points towards it. There are people in hiugh places that are as genuine as a nine dollar bill.That is my opinion and I stick with it.
The Magistrate did the right thing. With all sort of characters peddling Dominican passports all over the Middle East, does the Government of Dominica have the moral authority to prosecute anyone for trying to peddle some passports? No! It is quite clear that the DPP could not justify proceeding with this matter when a selected few have the privilege to sell passports and make big bucks answerable to no one.
This passport selling scandal will go down in history as Dominica’s most decadent economic activity, one that sets the tone for the youth who will use it as an example of a way to make Fast Cash without a sweat. One that will get the youth to justify their involvement in illegal activities such as drugs and prostitution. What prevents a young person from selling their body or hard drugs if the government sells passports like fish in the market. Passports for sale, passports for sale! Buy one get one free! This is what my citizenship has come to. God Bless Bernard Wiltshire.
Enough Already!
CASE CLOSED!!!!
………………..Hopefully!!
The whole system is a waste of tax payers money. This is beyond ridiculous.