Cornelius Joseph of Boetica was slapped with an EC$600.00 fine after he pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis.
Joseph appeared before chief magistrate Evelina Baptiste after he was arrested on June 16, 2012 by police in that community.
According to police prosecution Inspector Claude Weekes, the police were summoned to the village after a report was made to them against Joseph who has a history of mental illness.
Joseph was met by the police on the main road but ran, prompting the police to give chase until he was apprehended.
A search of his person revealed the illegal substance in a clear plastic bag.
Asked to account for it he told the police, “officer just a little thing I have.”
When Joseph appeared in court a few weeks ago he was sent to the APU for treatment and the report today stated that he was “fit and proper to plead.”
Before sentencing, Joseph in his own mitigation told the court, “I am sorry for my actions and behaviour, I am not a bad person, I had the drugs saw them and started to run.”
Magistrate Baptiste told him that she liked his “frankness and honesty” with the court.
She advised him to stay away from drugs and substance abuse and fined him EC600.00 to be paid by January 31, 2013.
He faces three months in jail if he doesn’t pay up on time.
Where is Cornelius going to get that money to pay the fine. One spliff-worth,1 dollar. They should help him to get into rehab as he has a long history of mental illness. How will prison help him? By the way, i don’t condone or use drugs.
Big deal, how comes there is never a COCAINE bust in Dominica, is’s always the men with the weed,we all know Dominica has a big coke problem but never seem to hear about the Cocaine bust, and we all know plenty coming into Dominica, look at all them paros in Roseau, all the robberies, its not to buy gunja, when them boys want gunja they just go and find it in the bush, but coke they must find the money to buy it, lets have some cocaine bust just a little one and see how fast crime drops in Dominica
de law think is marijuana that killing people..lol they better think twice..alcohol and cigarette killin people to
Sorry for the high rates of unemployment
Sorry for a shrinking private sector
Sorry for the high cost of living
Sorry that the justice system is a joke
Sorry that the economy will not be growing significantly to produce better outcomes for your children
Sorry for the high crime in schools
Sorry for the high drop out rate at the state college
Sorry our health care facilities are sub-par
Sorry that you can’t be too critical of the government without risk of judicial action
Should these stresses drive you to drink, take hard drugs, Sorry we don’t have any rehabilitation centers for you.
But despite all of this, please don’t smoke any weed.
I know you need some way to relieve these stresses, but we need tax dollars, so if you decide to use a substance that doesn’t carry such health risks, WE WILL FINE/ARREST YOU.
Remember our history of domination – colonization, slavery. Or, forget if you will, but we won’t. We learned very well how to oppress poor people…using the law…I’m sure you’ve heard that to be poor is crime!. So thank you for your “frankness and honesty”, back to the “plantation” with you. Be a good poor boy, toe the line, pay your fine, while we take more loans for your kids to repay, while we build our state house for your leaders to play. You should be a proud citizen!
what this got to do with slavery ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????//////
DNO, you guys conduct all types of polls but are you all afraid to conduct the legalization and decriminalization of Marijuana poll in the Nature Island?
Ma Gre sa….. Batty boy poll, priest poll and now Patrick john poll but no Ganja poll.
Please educate us Admin. What are the reasons why you so afraid of the Herb?
I applaud the fact that marijuana for personal consumption when in possesion of the user is tresated as a misdemeanor fine and not a criminal offense. The majority of Dominicans and people abroad smoke. I smoke once in a blue moon myself. its the abusers and cocaine dealers that should be restrained and jailed with hard labor.
babylon jus canna give a ghetto man a break