There is yet another adjournment in the problem-plagued alleged passport scam case against former Attorney General, Bernard Wiltshire, and four co-defendants, Nash Mitchel, Kimana James, Harolda Henry and Lyndon Marie.
When the matter came up in court on Thursday before Magistrate Bernard Pacquette, the battery of lawyers presenting the defendants, with the exception of Wayne Norde who was prepared for the paper committal, said they will be making certain “submissions” on the charges which were reinstated.
The case will now be heard on April 17, 2015.
The five are accused of allegedly forging documents that allowed foreign nationals to obtain Dominican passports.
On Monday July 21, 2014 Magistrate Arley Gill threw out the charges against them for want of prosecution.
However, just about a week later, the state reinstated the charges with Director of Public Prosecution, Evelina Baptiste, saying it was a “procedural dismissal,” not one based on “merit.”
Wiltshire has maintained his innocence, arguing that the charges against him were “politically motivated”.
He had told the press, that he signed a document for one of the foreign nationals, which allowed him to obtain a new passport after claiming that his original passport was stolen.
Mitchel, Marie and James were at the time employed within the government service and were accused of forging as much as thirty birth papers, which allowed foreign individuals, mainly of Iranian nationality, to obtain Dominican passports.
hi all my son is british born mixed white and dominican he as gone over to dominica to play football does he need a dominican passport?
You know nothing is going to come out of that. soon you will hear that case dismiss. This is the truth. People killing and go free. So that’s why nothing will come out of that.
Fair is fair. Justice delayed is justice Denied. Eg: Checko! he too will walk, for want of prosecution. Read it first on D. N.O.
How a man of your intelligence find yourself in that mess,the Iranians are the one out to destroy the middle east.An Iranian was intercepted in Barbados coming to Dominica with guns and 49 rounds ammunition.All left to say is good luck.You should know better. Your best defense now is Linton
Y people like Wiltshire can be prosecuted and Skeritt with his illegal government, can’t be? Evalina Baptiste, answer this?
Dominica wake up. Stand up for your country against in-our-faces, high class, corruption. While the world is on a drive to stamp out corruption, it seems, and evidence shows, that the cabal and their ilk have shut their eyes to all the illegal acts, taking place.
Bin Bobol. Secret Land Transfer deals. Ownership of Villas. Kick-backs. Passport sales, right, left and centre to all and sundry. Sales of Diplomatic passports/immunity. Forgery of birth Certificates for passports for Iranians?, Felix Chen US $20 million, where that gone? Petro Caribe $60 plus million, where that gone too?
Why thatoperative was handpicked to head the CIP, (a misnomer for selling passports), with no Master’s Degree, as required, or no application? There are Offices in Dubai, Cyprus and God knows where else, Dominica Passports are sold for $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$. Who making millions? DA’s sovereignty gone. The cabal has ensured that. Dominica for SALE. Maybe sold…
It is almost four years since this scandal broke and we no closer to a hearing. The police have done their investigation and yet nobody has been properly held to account. As if the authorities have no desire to air this in public. The people charged can only be minions in this affair. Remember, actual passports were also issued using these alleged fraudulent documents, in which the accused had no part. Who referred the Iranian nationals to the Registrar’s office for example. Meanwhile this is allowed to fester and rot our image abroad, reducing the value of our passports to little more than toilet paper.
I believe this guy had good intentions to sign a passport form. The Only problem is he signing for someone he did not know. I believe that the motivation behind prosecution is politically motivated.
Doc, I think for your own good you should assist the police by becoming a witness for the state..lol
This case, unfortunately, is a BIG red political football being kicked aimlessly…
What a lawless country we live in
Boy Wilshire
Dominicans know that the government is selling passports black white and center. So why were you not more careful?
I quote:
“He had told the press, that he signed a document for one of the foreign nationals, which allowed him to obtain a new passport after claiming that his original passport was stolen.”
If this is exactly and only what you did, you telling me as an attorney General, you did not foresee this coming back to hunt you?
a): Did this individual file a police report with the proper Dominican Authorities about his passport being stolen?
b): I assumed that you verified with the immigration department that this individual had indeed received a Dominican passport in the proper way before you sign that document. Immigration would definitely have his documents when he originally applied and when the first passport was granted.
If your answer is yes to both questions above, then brother you will be vindicated. However, if it is anything other than…
Dominicans sit by and watch the innocent being prosecuted while they embrace the guilty criminals selling our country. Thy drink, sing and dance, with them, even accepting money and charity from the guilty criminal operatives, sharing in the chalice of injustice and malice! Hell, fire and brimstone has to reign down on Dominica and the hypocrites on that island who call themselves Christians!
Skeritt might be considered an alleged corrupted leader, a dictator , one who dislikes Linton, Monell, but he isn’t as stupid as some Dominicans believe. Many Dominicans claim Skeritt has the judicial system under his control. If so is the case, why would he, in the middle of a passport racketeering scandal at his Labor Division, want to have the alleged Wiltshire passport fraud case brought to court. Those of us who are outraged as regards the racketeering and the fixing situation at the Labor Division, the adjournment of the present passport fraud is an indication as to what to expect concerning any action which is going to be taken at the Labor Division. Don’t expect an arrest or inquiry until Skeritt is no longer the Prime Minister. What to expect is either the firing or transferring of Leblanc or the mass firing of public workers from the Labor Division.
some of what you say makes sense but the question of firing people with out an investigation and a conviction may open the government to lawsuits…
FRANKLY, I DONT EXPECT ANYTHING TO COME OUT OF IT.
Yes Sir, one of our local offshore operators offering passports, Isla Associates even have a mobile number in Saudi Arabia for potential clients to call. Check it out 966 50 336 3409. Greed will consume all.
The Govt. must not only clean this up, but very much seen to be cleaning it up urgently if our passports are not to lose their integrity. With the increase in international terrorism our passports will be suspect and their value in the second passport business undermined with serious consequences not only for the economic citizenship programme but also for the ordinary, innocent, native-born Dominican seeking to travel overseas
personally i never expected de courts to treat dat case with any seriousness……….teach me teacher
HOLD ON
. Buy this is no laughing matter. It seems the whole passport scam just keeps getting more and more sophisticated. Dominicans have now been enlightened and now know that the illegal issuing of passport or visas is big business.
Talk about jumping from the frying pan of corruption straight into the fire of corruption
There was a one time MND turn DLP turn UWP turn Neo-DLP turn UWP etc etc other positions who use to have the proceeds of passport sales in $100 US in his shirt pocket back in 1995-2000 ( why he and others were not arrested in 2000) notes walking about in Roseau.
As FET would say ah eh calling names DNO
POLITICAL INFLUENCE IS STILL A MAJOR PLAYER IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE… you need de ghost as your lawyer
Manly of Iranian nationality? Hmmmm. What about the lawyers who processed the passports. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
This must be brought to the international media To expose the racketeering Tha t has been taking place in Dominica. These Iranians did not just fall from the sky. It is these passport outlets in middle east and persian gulf that is owned by lawyers in Dominica and elsewhere.
There were many Iranians who acquired Dominica passports. I know of 3 cases of Iranians who came to Dominica via Venezuela pick up their passports and new identity and flew off the next day.
Iran is an enemy of democracy. This means the Iranian government detests US, Canada, Europe of all. Dominica should not be doing business with these people whatsoever. They should not be issued Dominican passports. Giving them D/can passports provide them with undetected passage to terrorism in other lands. This is a serious matter.
I second ,third the motion.
Hang tight Littleboy (Wiltshire). God is NOT a Dominican Police Commissioner and no one can keep a good man down. You will walk free from the evil being perpetrated on you by malicious beings for political gains. Hold strong!!!
Assertive, NOT Aggressive!