Webster Edmund of Layou will know his fate when he returns to court on March 1 for sentencing in a matter involving a minor.
His trial opened in Roseau on Monday.
He faced charges of possession of firearm to endanger life, kidnapping, unlawful possession of firearm and ammunition, possession of marijuana and possession of the said drug with intent to supply, unlawful sexual connection, abduction and indecent assault.
Court documents indicate that Edmund allegedly kidnapped the 15-year-old school girl and held her for 40 days in the heights of Layou. He was found by police in the Hillsborough Estate area. The police reported that he led them to the young girl.
Edmund had initially pleaded not guilty to all the charges but after cross examination he, through his lawyer Peter Alleyne, pleaded guilty to kidnapping, unlawful sexual connection, possession of ammunition and possession of firearm with intent to endanger life but not guilty of abduction and indecent assault.
Director of Public Prosecution, Gene Pestaina, eventually withdrew the two charges to which he did not plead guilty.
Edmund is expected back in court on March 1, 2013 to be sentenced by Justice Bernie Stephenson.
Why else has he been at Stock Farm since he was captured in March 2011? They have had difficulty establishing that there was any kidnapping. Webster was wrong and should pay for his crimes like we all must for our sins but this has so many more layers than have been revealed. I hope that the young has a bright future in all sincerity. Who the cap fit will wear it and DNO is free to block this comment.
Webster Edmund is soon gonna be back in society, mark my words. But Jah know the day I ever conceive a child in this womb of mine, I packing up ammunition military style. Cause guess what? Should I be forced into such a sticky situation as a parent, the judicial system have all kinda ways for these effers to slide, but my aim shall not fail.
Webbie – you taking it like a man; but please one of those days release the real story;
these men haters who are commenting here will roast in their wickedness and hypocricy: they are trying to intimidate the judge.
we will support you AS USUAL you can depend on our cash and material support –
well i guess pestina have to hope on what he pleaded to he gets a long sentence like a seven years on each time he had sex with the kid and she said every day so dat will be 7 X 40 yeah man i can live with dat. hope his cell mate is a big horny guy!
Do not hold your breathe. Let us wait and see if the punishment will fit the crime.
My only comment is that these cases are taking too long to be tried. We need to improve our justice system in Dominica. Justice should be siwft, not dragged on for year. This is like torture for victims.
Was he in prison during that time or was he released and allowed to walk the streets of Dominica?
now in dominica ALMOST any thing goes, guess i will just watch and see.after cross examination of minor two charges dropped, did i read correctly?she was still a minor according to dominica’s laws. so he should be charged with abduction too, unless i do not know the meaning og the word, well i will just look up the definition
You are correct! Abduction and of a minor is an extremely serious crime. It is obvious that he planned it. He knew very well what he did. There is no excuse. This man deserves a long jail sentence with hard labor. Due to the nature of the crime, of a minor, hiding her for 40 days, he deserves life imprisonment. Fortunately she was found uninjured. In fact, the overall situation must have been traumatic for her.
The poor girl and what she went through. During that time she was deprived of freedom of right, dignity, schooling, her family companionship and the basics of life. This was downright forcibly confinement and with a gun, ammunition and marijuana.
Consider her mother’s grief and that of other relatives. All Dominicans were upset about this situation. I reside abroad and I took it to heart and prayed that no harm would come to her. It is strange that the abduction charge was dropped.
Let me further inform you. In Canada, the abduction charge would not be withdrawn; not where a minor is concerned.
Last week I heard on TV that the Canadian government is in the process of increasing the punishment for those who kidnap, rape and assault in other respects and abuse children. Whenever the government proposes a new bill of whatever nature, the minister concerned relays it to the general Media.
The children are future adults. Their innocence should not be destroyed. They must be loved, nurtured and respected. They are children/ teenagers and their minds and bodies should not be tarnished. If so, this will have a lasting effect on them and also a lifelong one. For God’s sake, let the children be children!
U are right, let children be children.My cousin did things that isn’t right, but he did not force her to stay. He left her on several occasions, she could have left.
U all have no idea of the matter. My cousin used to maintain this child; send her to school,cloth her,feed her, siblings and mother. Her mother knew all what was going on with she and Webster.Life is just on fear.
I hope he gets the punishment he deserves..But the two charges that were withdrawn I’m I concluding correctly?? hmmm..Very interesting developments in this case..Hope the punishment fits the crime anyway.Let justice prevail.
It is understandable that the charges of abduction and indecent assault were dropped as the abduction and kidnapping are very similar in nature and it is likely that he would have been found guilty of one or the other also too the charge of indecent assault and unlawful sexual connection. Either way this man is going to recieve a very stiff sentence given the grievous nature of the crimes and sensational nature of the case…
the court’s time will be better spent pursuing other criminals than these two charges against a man who is on his way to a long long vacation at stock farm.
We await the sentencing ….
We hope he will receive a stiff sentence. I hope he was not bailed.
I wish you were in a position to speak and judge. He was wrong to get involved in this mess and I do not condone it one bit, but it is so easy for us to run our mouths without the facts. For two years the justice department have been trying to charge him for this child abduction. He has done his time for the weapons possession. If not, why has he been in prison all this time? Who live in glass house should not throw stones
sad sad justice system in dominica,these judges have to pay one day.
Dno, am not smart to understand court matters but how on earth could the DPP be presnt in court and the ‘state’s witness a minor’ be the one who cross examined the accused? You either erred or Dominica is a strange land
This case took a long time to be called. It is almost a year.
I thought Pestaina had retired. Even though he is director of public prosecution, why does he feel he has to interfere with the jurisdiction of the Court? Why can he not allow the case to take its course? I am unable to comprehend this man and his position.
A similar situation occurred when he allowed Sarah Lynne Augustine to escape from prosecution in Dominica for murdering her two young children.
Webster was found with a firearm, ammunition and marijuana. He had every intent to use each one of them. No doubt he gave the teenager marijuana and had sexual connection with her.
What of her testimony?
He abducted the teenager. Did he state that she willingly went with him or sought him out and willingly went with him? Otherwise, why would this one be withdrawn?
Sexual connection. Are we to assume that she also willingly agreed to enter into this sexual relationship with him? The man is older than she is. He is very much guilty of sexual interference with the teenager.
Webster is fortunate that he is in Dominica and that the Law is so lenient. Our patient God will get him in time. This man deserves no less than 20 years or more in jail. Keep in mind that he was involved with a minor. This is a grievous crime.
Wake up Pestaina and perform your duties responsibly. You are accountable to Dominican nationals. You will have to answer to God one day. You will not get away from his fair justice and recompense. You allowed a murderer to get away from Dominica’s justice. Now you are withdrawing two charges against this teenage abductor? What will the overall end result be?
I wish go make yourself useful. It has been just around two years. How do I know? I was getting ready to go to Afghanistan when this went down. Visited him in prison summer 2011 and I have been home for 12 months now. You have no evidence of all the stuff you are spitting out. Do not make a fool of yourself and just run your mouth because you can. Remember that the God whom you are alluding to id God of us all and like us he does not discriminate and He is the only one with no sin
What is wrong with Pestina? Seriously the most critical charges have been withdrawn? Does this man understand that the child has to live this the rest of her life? Somebody need to give that lowlife rapist something in prison in slow doses! Having been a victim of attempted rape my empathize with that child. This trauma never leaves you so I can’t imagine her daily ordeal. This degenerate needs to be dealt with. My heart goes out to this child amnd what I feel should be done and if I had a way to revenge him
DNO will not allow. No rapist, child molestor even one who attempts it deserves to live. Save the GOD judging for me and forgiveness folks. Not interested. Some things need human and real time intervention! I’m angry, why is this man even allowed to be eating tax payers money?
Tri-State I agree with you on the punishment for that beast. Sorry about what happened to you, and I hope you can someday advocate for victims.
It was withdrawn because the State was afraid they would lose on a technicality. I guess the Defense had an ace up their sleeve whereby they could prove that the child went to meet the guy on her own and that she willingly had sex with him. Now don’t crucify me, I’m just trying to look at it from the State’s point of view. So hold back all ya’ll ‘dislikes’ ok. I’m not saying that’s what the child did, i’m just saying the State can’t prove she was forced or abducted.
I can’t believe Pestania withdrew the abduction charges this guy kidnapped the person child. I wonder if this man knows what his doing, no wonder so many crinimals are strolling the streets of Dominica.
Genuine concern, but the abduction would carry no additional charges.
don’t worry . he pleaded guilty to kidnapping and unlawful sexual connection. so the judge will give him the treatment.
He could only plead guilty to either Kidnapping or Abduction since they are basically one and the same just like he had to plead guilty to either Unlawful sexual intercourse or indecent assault. the second charge is the lesser of the two. so before you go accusing the state attorneys learn how the law works. If the trial had in fact gone through the jury could have only convict on either Kidnapping or Abduction, Unlawful sexual intercourse or indecent assault.
From watching shows like Law and order, the prosecution usually offers a deal to convince someone to plead guilty rather than going through with a trial where there chances of not guilty are very very slim. I’m guessing that may be what have happened but this bastard sure doesn’t deserve any form of leniency. For my part, I’d throw away the keys and leave his A** to rot in jail.
Hope the punishment fit the crime this “DB” committed against this young girl.
pay no attention to the up coming plea for mercy and compassion, also as they usualy do the Lawyer is going to plead for liency and state that the defendant did not waste the courts time. Yea right! bare in mind this young girl life is damaged for life,It would be fitting to put this B……d away and throw away the key so he can never hurt one of our little boy or girl again. I am holding my breath for now, after all, we go see!My sentence would be one year for each day he tourtured this young child, ie} 40 years behind bars with no chance for parole,BAM!BAM!
y the two were withdrawn?
What? On what basis did he withdraw these charges? Abduction and indecent assault and you withdraw those charges??? That Pestaina boy…
i hope he goes away for a long time. cannot believe that a man would hold a little girl hostage for 40 days.
Best they call the Prosecution…”Withdrawsecution”
The Prosecution team or bunch of jokers? You have to wonder sometimes????
This man must be casttated!
‘Castrated’. It is too bad this is not done in Dominica.
Where are the comments on this one? Is everyone still trying to crucify Hunter?
Give them a break for now. They will respond in time. They may be tired and sleepy, recovering from a weekend of fun and frolic.
after a nation’s pain for 40 days, 2 charges was withdrawn, to survive in dominica you MUST LEARN TO LAUGH
AND……..
May justice be done!!!
Let us hope that that punishment will fit the crime and will not be another slap on the wrist.
Webster pleaded guilty for kidnapping? find the others in Tarish Pit who committed the same act and fine them too
This case is so disturbing. I can only hope that he is severely punished!