A family member of deceased Neddison Bennoit of Grandbay, who was allegedly shot dead by Mwamba Alexander of the same community is upset that the accused was granted bail.
Alexander appeared before Justice Birnie Stephenson-Brooks at the High Court of Justice last week Monday with his lawyer Zena Dyer, and was granted bail in the sum of $500,000 with two sureties.
Bennoit’s relative, speaking with Dominica News Online (DNO) on condition of anonymity, claimed several members of the community are also frustrated of the decision to give Alexander.
“Where is the justice in Dominica? What are we saying to the population? I don’t understand what’s going on..” the outraged family member said.
Alexander had surrendered himself to police days after allegedly killing 26-year-old Bennoit and wounding 41-year-old Irvin Mark, also of Grand Bay in August 2009. The aleged shooting incident reportedly occurred outside of a disco in Grand Coulibri, Grand Bay.
According to reports, Bennoit sustained a gunshot wound to the chest, while Mark was shot in the chest and lower abdomen.
Reports also stated that the incident was as a result of a “heated” argument between Alexander and Mark earlier that night, resulting in Alexander allegedly shooting at Mark, who was in a conversation with another man. Bennoit was an innocent by-stander, according to reports.
“He has children too. He has family too [and] he would be upset if [a murder accused] is placed to walk in public before a final court decision,” the relative of the dead man remarked.
The relative lamented that Bennoit died in such a situation, adding that the family heart is broken by the court’s decision.
The conditions to Alexander’s bail are that he surrenders all his travel documents and reports daily to the Grand Bay Police Station between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. He was also ordered to live with his aunt in Grand Bay, and remain in the confines of her home between 6:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m.
Alexander was also ordered to refrain from having any contact- direct or indirect – with any family member of the deceased or any witnesses in the matter against him.
“We heard that he was given all these conditions, but that doesn’t change the fact that he should be placed on remand until he is proven guilty or innocent. It’s very painful. It’s very painful … No matter what I say and how much I cry, it can’t take away the fact that Neddison” Bennoit’s relative added.
Alexander is expected to attend court on June 14, 2010 for the preliminary inquiry on the matter.
– DNO Correspondent
taking my only brother’s life is not easy to over come but there is a man who see’s all and knows all
just want to say to my mum hold on because ned is still dere and the innocent ones are always the ones to go. god is love mother
… where is the justice for my brother when my family put in 25 yrs of hard work to raise ned.where is our satisfaction
The judge made his ruling, those concerned should just make sure police know when he violates his conditions because he is going to violate them.
The Justice system in this Country is a waste of time. Something need to be done to address this urgently.
I feel for the family… having 5 brothers myself I can only imagine what they are going through right now. Everyone can talk but nothing we say or do will remove the pain that the family must be feeling right now. We don’t want to judge or point fingers but when our actions cause the death of an innocent individual we have to sit back and ask ourselves a question – how can we stop this from happening again? Could we have acted differently? But what’s done is already done – we can just move on and ensure that we allow peace to reign in Grand Bay instead of this constant stream of killings and incidents or accidents. To the family – be strong!!!
so much people got bail after thier problems involving the death of others why is mwamba’s own so popular leave the boy alone he did not shoot at nedison he had no problem with nedison… so stop puting the boy in all you roro or beath online.
Miss P” You speak like a foolish person, the shoe that’s on the BENNOIT family feet right now, if it was on yours i bet your comment would be different.. To the families remember God is not dead be strong and take it to the lord in prayer, justice will prevail….
i am trying to understand how will people respect the life of others…
If the lord forgives your sins and dosen’t remember them, why should you keep thinking about them? stop remembering what god has forgoten! (Jeremiah 31:34) god says,…i will forgive thier iniquity, and i will seriously remember thier sins no more.
I feel for the family of ned may his soul R.I.P but why u all not blaming irvin mark… no one can say who fired the shot everybody was armed and they had guns and they were many … any body who had a rihgt to defned them selves would defend them selves, people from grandbay like revenge rather than make peace or simply walk away ;hatred is never ended by hatred at any time, hatred is ended by love,when it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law,be the friend you wish u had practice forgivness.
For real i feel bad for the family of nedison may his soul rest in peace,shouldent we all must do our part to help put an end to conflict in our communities,you the family of nedison should learn to forgive mwamba since he did not wilfuly kill nedison he had no problem with nedison it is not his fault please learn to forgive, nedison was not murdered he was shot acidentaly in the laws that would be mansluaghter and and it is bailable so stop giving you all selves stress practice love for one another.
to the family of the deceased hold on strong…god is not a police,today might be someone elses but tomorrow would be urs…just hold on strong and keep the faith …..
have the laws in dominica changed since the MAD SQUAD situation?i can remember the guys being held on remand until their trial they were not bailed.so y is it that this guy gets bail? the laws in dominica are just rediculous.any body can just kill anybody and get away with it because they have a lil money that is just BULL****
The Justice system stinks!!!
This is my country but we are going down a crooked path.When a man is hungry and he steals a packet of biscuit, he is jailed … Coming events always cast a shadow…Shame on us.
I SYMPATHISE WITH THE BENOIT FAMILY.
thanks GOOD
tell it to them hypocrites
i think our judges in dominica study the own law to fit certen people
I really do not understand. What is going on here? So he is allowed to walk the streets by himself daily to the police station without an escort? … Neddison was my cousin (and even if he wasn’t) and I dont’t believe that my other cousins deserve that added pain. What kind of justice system do we really have in Dominica? I may not know how the legal system works but someone, please enlighten me by this bail money. Where is that money kept, and who uses that money? I wonder who bailed him out… Who is to say that he may not escape? I really don’t understand as I mentioned before. Too much lawlessness.
I only have one thing to say. BEHANZINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN !!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD IS REALLY IN CONTROL.R.I.P.NEDDISON…
There is no justice on earth, what we get is the law!
well if i was the deceased person’s family i would see this as an opportunity (read between the lines).
and then d/ca will be called another jamaica, right?
or maybe then guys wouldn’t just kill and think there will be no consequences?
or maybe then magistrates will think twice about putting a murder accused back on the streets while a family is still grieving over their loss.
and by the way u can ‘vent your frustration’ without ‘going all the way.’
i agree
I second that totally.
Miss P., I”m sure if it was you and your family who were the victim’s family you would comment differently! Yes, God will judge him … also because we should all live as good citizens and for everybody will think they could kill who they want and get away with it. When Christ lived on earth there was the law which had to be obeyed.
I sympathize with the family and understand how they are feeling.
But the fact of the matter is that one can get bail although they have been charged with murder so it is not illegal. Some people just aren’t aware that they have a RIGHT to bail and stay on remand until their court hearing.
Probably we need to revise our laws in D/ca, but the magistrate acted within the scope of law.
Where is justice in dominica? what is our poor nature island becoming? so if i go today and i kill a man, thats how i walk? i think something needs to be done with the justice system, killing is not an accident, there is no way u kill by accident either, i think something needs to be done with all these, let loose crimimals walking our streets, trust if i was in the familes shoes u kill my relative and i see u tomorrow on the road i kill to and go seat down stockfarm and wait till i am granted bail…..that is s!@# man something needs to be done……..poor D/ca…..Jah guide us.
i feel for neddison’s family but i also feel for mumba…… its not up to us to judge him. he will be judged on judgment day….good luck mumba and good luck to neddison’s family. get real people!!!!
Can someone explain to me what is happening in DA…I do not understand how all these ppl accused of murder being granted bail…since after granting bail to the accuseds of the triple homicide on the sea the flood gates have opened and now all accused murderers coming before the court for bail and it is being granted …I never see anything like that in the history of the justice system in DA…something wrong somewhere I don’t what it is but something is definitely wrong…since when bail is being granted to murder accuseds…hm…the government has to look into this…
money havs a very POWERFULL hold on individuals these days…be it the poor mal-ay-way to de big office boyz….so it should nt suprise u those things going on….the true judge is JAH..he go hav the last say…..
TIME WILL TELL….
Nothing wrong with de justice system. His lawyer (whom we all know) is a brilliant negotiator. She got him off on bail, she got the other alleged killers from Newtown and Morne Prosper on bail too. She’s smart and the State Prosecutor needs to learn from her. She could open her own law school. LOL.
honestly i believe the court made a mistake! point blank, period! dats all i saying cause i cannot understand… he is out on bail…. Justice, Justice show your face!
my my my what is wrong with the legal system in D/ca these types of rulings is telling everybody to go out and kill and they will be set free no matter guilty or not. my god what is it in this country that have all the people in high places so tight lips that they cannot speak out on those ills in society! somebody please tell me is this the next level really, that was being spoken about?? magway sa papa bondieu
TO NEDIDISON FAMILY HOLD STRONG AND REMEMBER GOD IS IN THE MIDST OF ALL, HE KNOWS YOUR PAIN, HE FELLS YOUR PAIN , DON’T GIVE UP… TIME WILL TELL BECAUSE GOD IS WAS AN WILL ALWAYS BE GOD. TO MARK ALL I CAN SAY IS BE VERY CAREFUL, GIVE YOUR ALL TO GOD, LIVE EVERYTHING TO HIM… LET JAH BE YOUR GUIDE
true