David Samuel Brandt, prominent attorney and former Chief Minister of Montserrat, is currently one of 20 inmates at Her Majesty’s Prison. Brandt has not been convicted of a crime, but he is incarcerated because a “fed up” judge issued a punitive measure to counteract four years of stall tactics by Brandt’s attorneys.
According to the Montserrat Spotlight, unless defense attorneys can file successful motions to dismiss Brandt’s charges or have his bail reinstated, the former head of state will spend at least the next five months in a jail cell. It is the latest twist in a sad fall from grace for one of Montserrat’s most colorful and popular attorneys and politicians.
In 2015, Brandt was charged with several counts of sexual exploitation of underage girls. His trial was finally scheduled to begin this week following four years of delays and legal challenges, including an unsuccessful request for change of venue. Brandt’s defense team on Monday asked for another continuance because one of the attorneys is unavailable due to illness. High Court Judge Gareth Evans QC granted the adjournment until November 18 but revoked Brandt’s bail. When a person is charged with a crime, the issue of bail is addressed during different stages: the initial charges, the sufficiency hearing, and for the actual trial. So even if bail is granted at one point in the case it can be rescinded at another stage at the judge’s discretion.
Politicians, lawyers, doctors and the more privileged Dominicans are treated by law enforcers as untouchables; allowing them to do anything they wish in Dominica; committing heinous crimes, and high misdemeanors in the country.
They are allowed to go unpunished for their crimes!
If that man was in Dominica he could not be touched; fortunately Montserrat is still a colony of Britain, where the law takes precedence the law breaker.
Montserrat is yet a very small volcanic island where no one; lawyer or politician is above the law, money and prestigious positions don’t buy freedom in Montserrat!
Crooks and criminals are treated as such, and brought to justice where they are held accountable for whatever crime they committed!
So can this example be relevant for the Roseau south individual? After all it’s about time to bring this individual to justice.
ADMIN: The facts of the cases are different. The individual you are referring to has not been officially charged. There is no bail to consider which is the reason the former premier was jailed.
Enough stalling; justice delayed is justice denied. Judge Evans is to be commended for his reasonable action.
This is so sad. It’s also a lesson for all adult males that we have to exercise control over our sexual cravings. Having sex with impressionable, easily duped, underage girls are unacceptable. When this happens the children are mostly mentally scarred for the rest of their lives. There are so many adult women out there who are who are willing and able to engage in a consensual relationship.
How refreshing it is to read a judge using his power according to the law rather than personal or political allegiances. Sometimes I wonder if these days will ever return to Dominica and the cesspit that 15 years of Skerrit regime brought will ever disappear again? I’m sure future generations will ask themselves what their forefathers where thinking. They allow one little man from the north to step all over them and only a few righteous ones have the courage to stand up against this corrupt tyrant.
Somebody’s turn is soon coming up in Dominica.
“Only the people run things”, and not “I run things here”.
There is someone from Roseau south constituency who is trying the same delay tactic but his time is surely approaching.