Keyra Henry Lafond can breathe a small sigh of relief after Justice Victoria Charles-Clarke ruled that she was satisfied that Lafond had acted with due diligence in a matter dealing with her cousin Gairy Jno-Finn of Castle Bruce.
Jno-Finn was arrested by the police on allegations of having sex with an under-aged child in 2013, but according to Lafond, information reaching her shows that he had fled to Guadeloupe after he was bailed.
Reports are that Lafond, along with Lambert Prevost stood as surety for Jno-Finn after he was bailed in the sum of EC$35,000.00.
Prevost died in August 2015 and Lafond undertook to be the sole surety in the amount of $15,000.00.
Jno-Finn was indicted to stand trial at the High Court and was given a court date when his trial was set to commence. However, he never showed up.
As part of his bail conditions Jno-Finn was to be of good behavior, report three times a week to the Castle Bruce police station and not to interfere with witnesses or the virtual complainant in the matter.
Lafond told the court that she had Jno-Finn’s passport in her possession and when she heard he was gone, she immediately reported the matter to the police in Castle Bruce.
Questioned if she knew about his whereabouts, she said, information reaching her indicates that he was in Guadeloupe.
“I am not in a position to pay the court for the forfeiture since I have a baby that I had to attend to medically,” she told the court.
Her lawyer, Kathy Buffong-Royer, told the court that her client was “not wanting on due diligence” and had made every effort to secure his court attendance and she had no knowledge that he had absconded.
“She did not in any way aid and or abetted or connive for his disappearance, the entire amount should be remitted,” she said.
In her decision, Justice Charles-Clarke it cannot be said that Lafond aided or abetted, she acted with due diligence and “cannot be held responsible for his absence from court.”
“You are not culpable, I will not make an order for the recognizance amount to be forfeited,” the Judge stated.
However, the Judge told Lafond that since her name was still on the documents as surety, she has an obligation to the court to try and find Jno-Finn.
A warrant is also in force for his arrest.
If I was to locate and take him back to dominica . Who pay the bill ? If I could get 10 percent of total bail plus expenses
He probably had an idea what he planned to do. He deceived a friend and the Court. He has forfeited his right to return to Dominica a free man. He would do well to turn himself in to the Gaudeloupe police or return voluntarily to Dominica to face the charges.
He has done an injustice to himself. If caught, he will be doubly charged and spend more time in jail, if not for life, never to be released.
You have enough love in your heart to put up bail for this man. He shows no appreciation and skips out.
The bail system is appropriate for some cases. I believe in mercy, forgiveness, and a second chance. But listen here. There are some crimes a man should not be bailed for. Rape is one of them. Raping a child should never be considered for bail. If the man would rape child of course he would skip bail.
That is the kind of man who does this type of thing.
Tax payers should not have to pay his room and board in the big house either. There should be a speedy trial and a sentence that sends a message to the nation. The sentences that should be considered are not even available in your country. That is one reason the nation is in such a mess and near to despair.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
You are correct. The government must revamp this bail system. Too many commit crimes, also for murder and are bailed. It also takes too long to bring them to Court. I hope in the New Year the government will do something about that.
If is my brother that do that I not paying bail eh (granted I know he guilty of course)
The police should have his passport no she, and whenever you bail someone you should know what you getting yourself in. It a lesson to everyone becareful ho you bail.
As surety she did act accordingly. She waited on no one to do the right thing. She took his passport.
good job kathy you really are a good lawyer.
They should held her responsible, i don’t care! his name call in a horrible crime you don’t have money , and you going to stand surty? Is money you have! You should have left him in jail.
DNO, is there a statue of limitation on men having relationships with 13yr olds or minors? No man should be allowed to get away with it, even if he is a politician, pastor, lawyer or whatever. Lets expose them all take them to the courts.
Exactly!
From what I know, there is no statute of limitation for that. The D/ca Law may be different but I really think worldwide, there is none, similar to murder.. These cases remain before the Court. They are on record and so if he is caught, be it 20 years or more from now, he will be arrested.
I agree!
This applies in my country as well.
One problem is the long wait between the arrest and the court appearance. This gap must be closed with a swift trial. There are solid reasons for this.
People forget or change their minds.
People move away and are no longer available as witnesses.
Witnesses are sometimes tampered with.
No man should be exempt from justice because nobody is above the law.
Like many others I would like to see child and family courts with appropriately trained people representing
the justice system – people who are specialists in their fields who have a proper understanding of children. At one time I opposed this but when I heard the reasons and gave thought to the matter I changed my mind.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Reverend, hope you will read this. Did you hear/read, recently in Toronto, a murderer was set free because the case took too long to come to Court? There are many cases which are not yet heard.
Papa Bondey, she should be responsible to pay the bail, that is part of the agreement if one jump bail who ever pay to bail them out should pay, at least she is responsible for half, the other guy died, so he don’t have to pay, but she should be responsible for the other half, Dominica is a hundred years behind time I tell you.
If it is known she cannot afford it, as she said, she could be released of it. If later she can afford it, she will have to pay. The Judge told her she is responsible for finding him. I would think, this means, if she knows where he is, she should inform the police and arrangements will be made to have him extradited to Dominica.
Recently, did D/ca not sign an extradition treaty with Gaudeloupe?
I would not advise her to as much as communicate with him. She should pretend to stay out of it. Otherwise if he returns to D/ca, he could find a way to harm her. Let the police in both countries do that. I hope her attorney will advise her accordingly.
Stop talking bullcrap. She did all what she could
I giving her wrong in the first place because it can be my family or not, I’m not standing bail for anyone who allegedly has sex with a child. You would have to go up to Stocky on remand and wait for your day in court…
No sirree!!
Please say nothing La Pointe Michel. Wait when it is your own time. many persons criticize when they are bnot in th persons shoes. Repent before something similar happen and you have tosatand be it your child or relative. It is better to keep quiet and pray for the person.
Keep quiet and pray for the person??
For someone who knowingly and willfully hurt a defenseless child??
Since you’re talking about prayers, in the Good Book it was written that Jesus said, “suffer NOT the children unto me. For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven”
So you talking about my child or my relative is nonsense….if my relative or child did this to someone’s child I wouldn’t look at them twice.
Some sins are just NOT forgivable. I don’t care what you say.
This is how Major56 feels. Others would do likewise. However, from the goodness of the lady’s heart she stood bail for the man.
Standing bail is like taking out a loan. She is responsible if he absconds. If he dies it is another matter. She is free of this bail arrangement.
Our Lord said: “If anyone causes one of these little ones to sin (this also means harms them), it would be better that a millstone be hung around his neck and he be thrown into the deep sea.”
These children are innocent. They should be left alone. I cannot understand that an adult man would have the nerve to do something as that to a child. He is a pedophile; a pervert; sick person. He must pay for this atrocity he committed against a child.
Let us say, knowing him, she trusted him. She did a good act for him, taking such a chance and he disappointed her. Consider how she feels.
If she could afford to pay, this would be money down the drain, paying for someone who absconded. He is not a nice person.
She should also be made to submit his passport to the police. She caught a big break and that should be a lesson to many. I hope she considers her blessings and work diligently to help bring Jno-Finn to answer to the charges.
#OneLoveDominicans!!
I agree. I hope the Court will ask her for it or that she will submit it to them. She should not keep it. The man is tricky, a crook, to do this to a friend. She should wash her hands off him, so-to-speak. He is also a traitor.
Whatever she does to bring him to justice, for her welfare, she should keep it a secret from him. She must not even let his relatives or his friends know about it. You know people do talk and can get others in trouble.
So, is this the new trend? Bail someone, then the bondman could flee? I like that. Say wat all U like, but DA is sweet, man!
Put a bounty on his head. Send out the bounty hunter. Thats an easy 5 Gran
10 percent of total bail plus expenses
Send out the bounty hunter or make him wear a shirt with a big bull’s eye on the back.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill.
Send out the bounty hunter. Also make him wear a shirt with a bull’s eye on the back. Whoever gets him first.
Sincerely, Rev. Donald Hill