A Fond Cole man was fined $30,000 after he pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply 9,080 grams of marijuana.
Glennis Rohan Charles, 34, a father of four ,appeared before Magistrate Sherma Blaize- Sylvester at a Roseau Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.
The drug is said to have a street value of $20,000.
According to the facts presented by the prosecution, on Saturday, March, 26 2016 at about 10:20 pm, upon receiving certain information police proceeded to Macoucherie.
While driving East on a secondary road the police noticed Charles standing. He was approached and the police introduced themselves. They noticed two bags, one green, another black next to him.
The police opened the bags and noticed a number of packages inside. They questioned Charles as to what was inside the packages and he responded, “I don’t know nothing about that.”
The police opened one of the packages and noticed what appeared to be cannabis.
Charles was cautioned and informed that marijuana is illegal and it is also an offense to have that drug in his possession.
He was then arrested and taken to the Police Headquarters in Roseau.
In mitigation, his lawyer, Attorney Dawn Yearwood-Stewart, asked the court to “temper justice with mercy”.
She asked for a noncustodial sentence on her client and pleaded with the court to be lenient since her client is a first time offender.
“He is a construction worker and he fell on hard times,” she said.
Meantime, Magistrate Blaize-Sylvester said Charles is not known to the court and has pleaded guilty so he will not be given a custodial sentence.
She stated however that a message must be sent.
“If you have to struggle to feed your children, then struggle, but fast money doesn’t pay,” she warned.
He was fined $30,000.00, of which $8,000 is to be paid forthwith, or in default of payment spend three months in prison.
Charles was also fined $10,000 from the remaining $22,000 to be paid within six months, or in default spend three months in prison, while the $12,000 balance to be paid within a year, or in default of payment spend 3 months in prison.
It’s ‘ High Time’ to legalize marijuana. The time has come for Skeritt/the gov’t to address the issue, rather than preoccupy themselves and the opposition with IPO and other trivial stuff. People need to be able to smoke a spliff freely without the risk of jail and high fines. This persecution of marijuana has failed miserably over 40 years of this type of persecution, stop it. What if during the judges college years she was given such harsh fine for something she did along the way to graduation (and I mean she is perfect right….wink wink)?
Stop it, this is barbaric considering the prowess of marijuana, it’s a relatively harmless high.
I’m pretty sure if someone catches you with marijuanna, the sentence is less if you kill all of them before they talk vs you getting caught with the weed.
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Why did you all delete my comments, talking about all the Police are interested in, is checking for drugs, and are not looking for burglaries etc, like I reported, a burglary, so long, and no one is yet to come. But taking the law in your hands, they would run fast though, it seems, burglaries, murders etc., are not so important like drug affairs. PLEASE, DO NOT DELETE MY COMMENT PLEASE PLEASE.
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Priorities, priorities, I called the Police about a burglary in my house, I told them about the suspected thief, I went to the Police station, other people in my house, also went to them, they never showed, I also, asked them, if people take the law, in their hands, and do something to the “voleurs” see how fast they would come, but, I am definitely wrong, I should have told them, I have drugs, in my house (which is a lie), probably, they would have come, all they do, is recruit, a set of police, and all they can do, is check license, and insurance, but burglarys and murderers and rapists, are not so important, hope the police read this article, priorities, priorities.
Sexual abuse in Dominica is a lesser crime than possessing a marijuana plant that God created…Man go to jail,if the gov’t is not putting in place no system to help a man who plants marijuana ,when this man might have children to feed ,the system is doing that deliberately because they know that ,marijuana is the main source of income for the gov’t after they arrest and imprison people’s children..man go to jail,do not pay such a fine because the state never helped you to make that sum of money..
Thats how the poor man gets h
Justice on this island. Smh
we are losing it over this ganja issue. this herb is a versatile product which can make a number of by products. imagine such a p[product which can enhance our economy all we can do is to uproot it then burn it? this is not war against drugs but a war against ourselves
His attorney says not a first time offender? He was never caught. I wonder how many times he did that?
He was waiting for someone to pick it up. If only the Police concealed themselves and waited for someone to pick it up. Who knows? The Police could have caught more of them.
The next time use an undercover vehicle and be in plain clothes, armed with a warrant for arrest so this surveillance could be effective and catch more of them, all at once.
There is a need to take marijuana seriously as the police are doing, and to treat it accordingly in court.
For the sale of cannabis to help Mr. Charles feed his family there must be people obviously buying it, and doing so at a fair price. However, there are other ways the man can provide for his children, and there are people who would help in such circumstances. By selling marijuana he is feeding the habit of users and harming them.
People who sell cannabis will also sell cocaine or heroine when the opportunity presents itself. These individuals often sell illegal guns. Because they operate outside the law they will sell to underage young people.
Congratulations again to the police for a job well done.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist.
It’s another story when it comes to the collection basket though .
you know you’re from Canada where cannabis will be soon be legal, why don’t you talk there and leave Dominica alone….
What they sow they will eventually reap. Sooner or later people pay for their actions. Most of all God will hold them accountable for passing immoral laws which also destroy health.
God is patient! He gave them a free mind. He is letting them either conform to His Most Holy Will or not. One way or the other they will receive their just recompense.
God make weed …. man make it illegal with their immoral laws
Its practically legal there already.
Sixteen thumbs down
This happens almost every time I write a comment on marijuana. It actually encourages me because it shows people are reading my comments, and the people who are reading are those who need to hear my message.
However, it shows the lack of objectivity in those who advocate for marijuana. They manage to click onto a thumbs down for my comment. Yet the science is lacking. They never tell me what it is they are disagreeing with. They don’t seem able to highlight a single mistake in my comment.
There must be more to the debate than the fact that they enjoy the high or they are making money from selling the stuff. If that is the limit of their education
let them tell it to the judge.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill. Evangelist. (Diploma in Drug Studies)
Hill, take your pill and chill.
$30.000.00 for Ganja and he have 4 mouths to feed. All i can remember is the $15,000.00 fine for death by reckless driving. The message is clear.
Why not organize and legalize only the export of marijuana to the places that legalize the use of it?
Lets see how much the GDP would be raised in a year. Then pump that money into the education and health care system.
Don’t have children if you can not look after them. It is not fair on the children.
Boy, that was quick justice! If only they could that with their judicial reviews.
As if marijuana has stiffer penalties than more serious offences. Wow
man that is exactly what i thought when i read the article.
so True. Weed is the most serious offence in Dominica now. Sexual offenses and murder have less penalties. smh..we going down slowly
