David Thomas,31, of Bagatelle was ordered to pay nearly $70,000 in fines after pleading guilty to drug and firearm related offenses in the Roseau magistrate’s court today.
Thomas was arrested with two other family members during a warranted police search of his home in Bagatelle yesterday. Charges were dropped against his relatives after they pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Thomas faced five charges- four were drug related.
The officers had found over 19,000 grams of cannabis and ammunition.
For possession and intent to supply 332 grams of cannabis, Thomas was fined $1,500 to be paid by 28 February 20011 or he spends three months in jail.
He was also fined $3,000 for the possession of ammunition to be paid by 30 April or four months in prison.
Thomas was hit with another fine of $65,000 for the possession and intent to supply 18,996 grams of cannabis. $35,000 of that amount is to be paid by August 31, 2011 or one year in jail and the remainder-$30,000 to be paid by December 31, 2011 or he will serve another year in prison.
Thomas, through his lawyer Dawn Yearwood-Stewart, said that he was employed as a vendor at the Roseau Market.
She asked the court to temper justice with mercy and not impose a custodial sentence on her client. She said that the ammunition found in his home had been there since he was a teenager. “He grew up knowing it to be there,” she stated, adding that her client was not even aware of it being illegal.
Magistrate Candia George advised Thomas to work hard in order to legitimately pay off his fines.
She said that his guilty plea, clean conviction sheet, engagement in gainful employment, and cooperation with the police were all in his favour.
She frowned however, on the quantity of drugs found at his home. She particularly spoke against the ammunition found, stating that ignorance of the law is no excuse. She pointed to several amnesties which were publicized in the media in recent times concerning ammunition and said Thomas had no excuse for having it.
what happen to them people there….charging man for bush..hmmmm..i shore it have a next tree that giving a better high than that….maybe coconut branch even giving a better high than ganja.
high grade ganja de man had there duty babylon come say dey wa make an arrest really dem wa charge man fee possesion of nature well me tell go charge de creator
ganja is bush and it is bcuse dem man abuse it de law is so had on dem ,c how easy they was on NELLY STHARRE dey just charge her a bob marley cuz she have sur name ,If de man new dey was coming at his home my advice is he shud ave smoke a bucket of wweeeeeeddddddd ,and den cantheir would have charge him for being undah de influence D.U .I
:
Huge amount of weed…
The cannabis grow bible
what the hell r u talkin about?…wat jab canabis bible u self…lmao
LEGALIZE OR DECRIMINALIZE MARIJUANA NOW!
close down all the rum shops.. stop manufacture kubuli beer!! all bush ppl taking for cold should be checked by the fcc and all that crap 1st!! weed is 100% organic and free from any bullcrap some great ppl who invented and lead the world were smoking it. When will the madness end ppl. Look at Amsterdam the aint falling into the sea and their econ booming!!! we can learn from them
helloooooooooooo people all drug is drug once you are hooked on it and all of them destroy one way or the other
with all those comments whoever is cleaner thean him through the first stone
not a drug
hit them harder
let the drug dealers pay
The Law is too lenient on drugs in Da.With the amount like that, he must pay a fine and jail. If he cannot give an account of what he has at his home , how he paid for what he has , his possessions should be confiscated.Change the LAW. WE NEED TOUGH DRUG LAWS IN DOMINICA….
Compared to alcohol, tobacco, crack/cocaine and all them others, weed ain doin shit to nobody. Leave the people alone for dem to enjoy demself nuh man!!
Cannabis will lead to cocaine then eventually crack cocaine. Just look at our young people in DA.
Please buy more well-equipped police vehicles and ambulances and police vessels and fire trucks with all of these drug monies and also upgrade the police headquarters in Roseau and Portsmouth and the sub-stations in the outlying villages.
they did not charge him enough ,they should charge him untill his 2 balls fall between his 2 foot, i am just feeling sorry for the small ones coming up.
All that good all u to bad mind in dominica they doe charge him enough they destroying other ppl life to make money if I did know I would sell him out d same
stupes shut u . u self maybe is well dat u doing so doe cum so. dont judge a book by its cover ok
You are the one that need to SHUT UP. U have no idea of what drugs can do to your brain.his intention was not for personal use .It was definitely to supply other people.Get your facts straight, your IDIOT!!!!
You want people to stop the drugs thing and that place don’t have no jobs for the young people can’t own nothing,the real problem is people need to stop mine other people busines
All dem who put pple in jail for a tree that was created by the almighty mus pay, fire bun all magistrate
need jobs for the young people…no jobs they have to sell drugs to survied and take care of their family.. the babylon and them doing drugs too but dont worry they too will get catch one day ..
Must be someone that sell him out. Why do police always know who to bust? Is it because they doing their job or they got spies? hehhe.But anyway ppl must leatrn to stop that drug thing. I mean come on. DOn’t ever think that you won’t get caught!!!
the fine was not enough. it should be a $1,000,000. down with drugs and guns. next time madamme magistrate please increase the fine. good job police service at least there was not a traitor on board for you know this thomas man would have been informed of the search coming. once agian good job to the police service. down with drugs. i wish these drugs could put all of its users to sleep permanently.
u started good wit ur comment bt afterwards u start talkin pure sh*t in my head now “pat”…’for you know this thomas man would have been informed of the search coming?”..RUBBISH!.im not sayin it doesnt happen bt i kn him.n no..it took evryone as a surprise including him n us hz family.so…SECONDLY..”i wish this drugs could pt all its users to sleep”..seriously..u ass or sumting..if that were to come to pass in truth.i hope evrybody in ur family not takin any drugs too..u dont kn ur children: boyfriend; mother or father makin takkin a lil weed on d side n u dont kn (lawl)..i wud understand if dat didnt tel u cuz u too damn ignorant….stupesssssssss…:) nice comment u kn..bt those two dare were jus tickling me man………dueces!!
99 days for the dealer 1 day for the law!!!
what talk that ( God will do what ) that person do right , there is no jealously there my ppl cause we all no what would happen it that at pass , some of us would be crying cause of what we would see , and those ppl there dosen’t feel sorry for them paro’s , is the money they want , well give them some of it to feed those paro in the jeal
Dominican’s , we need to get real , question we never ask is where those paro geting those money to buy those weed there , if police did not get that weed there , do u no what amount to money he would make in it , do u all no how much of our childrean that could go off on that weed , is weed that have some of our friend or familly on the road and those big men there pocket full and those small men take in what ppl have to sell and bring that money for those big man, i fil mister make that money cause i dont think that was his first time , THE ONE THAT CALL HER SELF LOVER she new he was doing wrong so dont even talk !!!!!!!!!!
some one should do what they can to feed themself, ok, because if weed was a such bad thing, i don’t think in some coutries of the world it woudn’t be legalise, and you thing the police doing right????is burn they going to burn it?????tell me……..thomas wrong with wante to feed himself, but the police ae right to take it n sell it and still smoke it….yeah that is gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood, not true???
fool
pls shut your mouth if u don’t have anything to say ok. those guys put cocaine in the weed and sell it that thing destroying ppls you know what i want them to give it to your children or family to take.
stupes . baby girl u dats the fool and u dat need 2 shut up ur mouth. is u dat no wat they putting in d weed . is not every day dat is xmas so think . put ur self in his shoes ok . wat goes around comes around ok. sa ou di ou di
they putting the cocain in it for u your idiot
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm is dat self jealousy does kill ppl and they cannot see ppl make a living.they just sell out ppl but 1 thing i telling d perosn sell out still later will be greater cuz u doe no wat cuming ur way anyways.thomas everything will be a ok cuz u have a gud family dats love u and care bout u.
he do do no wrong
you are so right they make lots of money,hit them hard let the drog dealers pay ,for the young ones to know how bad drogs are.this will be a warning to others.
how the f**% u gonna catch a man with 19kg of canabis and fine him $70,000 where the hell did we get this dumb a$% magistrate. sh** that is an invitation to come to d/a and deal drugs if thats the punishment
you to stupid u did not know that thomas will be ok is liscense they give him to plant plenty more herbs and never to get caught againnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
lolll
well Dominica fini bat eh…all you support everything that is bad…corruption, drugs,just name it….Lord let me go and pray harder for my family
herbs not drugs u mathew chapter 6 hypocrite
thank u 4 all the nice comments and god is on my side.
no fear once is herbs jah will always be on your side why/ cause he not a police cup or spoon
So sad that this will be overturned on appeal. Section 105 of the Magistrate’s Code of Procedure Act, Cap 4: 20 plus the Dominican case of Shane Graham et al has clearly stated that the magistrate can only give a maximum of 6 months in jail in default of any payment. Secondly, Act 1 of 1993, Section 16 (1) clearly states that upon summary conviction (Magistrate’s Court) the person MUST be fined a minimum of $150,000.00 or three times the street value of the drug, whichever is greater and hear this: AND (MEANING THEY MUST BE SENT TO JAIL) for a maximum of 15 years or not less 7 years. So, the magistrate has clearly not followed the law and the man after getting caught with so much weed is going to walk free.
Good job, for quoting the law. Thanks !!!
it is soo sad to hear that i know the family so good .. but trust me this is a seel out …dnt u all ever think that the babylon is going to burn that weed …they will take it and sell it ..they just as bad …
yes wii in dr face tell it 2 them again . is dat dat bad
only one word i can use there jalousi, good people have to strugle and see misery to try to survive, and bad people rejoicing about that, but i know Thomas will go through this, because when u got people around you that love you, and care about you, nothing can’t go against LOVE………….sell out still they will see worst that what Thomas pass…god is good
yes wii is dat . every body no thomas will go through dat. and wat that person doe no dr is later will be grater and they better watch dr step cuz hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. dat alone i have 2 say . sa yo di yo di !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i dr 4 u thomas in gud and in bad
u dont love thomas because if u did u would have told him stop with that and get something else to do something that would not get him into trouble
u 2 stupid u can get trouble for defending yourself
of course weed can couse one to paro,most of all them paro,s out there is weed they started on
stupess,cigarette to then???because cigarette is a mix af all kind of killing stufff…………..;weed just a natural herb…………..
my dear cigarette also kills ok
weed is natural. what for them to do is to bust them ppl dat comin in DA with the cocaine. you hardly hearin police catch pple wit coke cause they fraid of the REAL dangerous drug dealers dealers.
is dat. again amen thank u . stupes hatterz and jealousy alone dat in dat world stupesssss
u must be 1 of the paro idiot
When will Dominica start selling all that pure weed for its bi-products like hemp oil, hemp lotion, hemp colthes or for medicinal purposes, it is time that Dominica legalize the holy herb for commercial purposes. Take control of the rack epidemic.
What goes around comes around, its never good to rejoice over when things happen to other ppl. We never know whose turn it will be tomorrow or the next year. Inspite of that i felt sorry for you guys.I hope all mouth will b shut and person will enter into their shells and ask themselves question and stop rejoicing and hating. We are all one people, one nation under god
boi dat weed looking gud . but my boy god is good u will pay dat in no time dat was a real seel out but them ppl just jealous u was makeing a lil leaving and dats just it . sa yo di yo di . is us aself !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
is dat
When bad things happen to you all and you are in the streets wailling I feel no pain for you guys. You seem to take everything for a joke and fail to realise the serious implications of drug use on our health, crimes and many other areas. so when your children suffer and you cry you are only being haunted by the evil that you do. The fire coming after.
amen amen to that i agree with that
This is just a man trying an make a living…give him a break….
As I said before if you get caught with weed they quick to arrest and charge you.
But those same good for nothing police (incompetent to be honest) will refuse to charge someone who kills another human being.
We need to fire the police force.
Hmm, well well well…dat sad we. Young man like that have to find $70,000 in dese hard times. betcha he sell mo weed to pay dat.Sell out fuh sure. Ptnr is ur first time../make sure its ur last.
Bad news! Get better things to do.Whom are u destroying? IIt could be ur own child! Think
destroye????cocane or heroin man?????HELLO weed it is, it is legalize in some country, and they are not destroye………………………..dominica and other country don’t want to legalise it, just because goverment and upper class people wont make as much money as those little maléwé that will plant it and sell it…..yeah that is reality
hold ur head my boy
it will all work out
i didn’t kill anyone
u didn’t steal from anyone
tough luck
sell out scene dat….
they do right more sell out to come
stupes . later wil be grater doe worry . wat go around come around . i hope u no dat and check urself and not thomas cuz is not kill he kill ok stupessss
chupessss
chupesssss
i not suporting drugs period
BUT one advise i can give mister is take his 2 yrs jail
cause i know it not easy to make 65,000 dollars in 2yr
really n his family?his kids?and they???
he takes 2years jail and police smoking the weed they take….wel well
one shipment is more than 70Gz…weed take 3 – 4 months before harvesting ..he can make pay that in 1 yr
i feel so sorry 4 my boy he was just trying 2 make a leaveing and 2 help his family. but dat person dat sell out my boy dr only god dat nos. and david god is good all the time and is not u alone dat have been in dat since. but dat person will see trust me they will!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! is dat dat bad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
is dat jealously dat in d place. and dat was a bad sell out
This is absolute rubbish! You feel sorry for someone who was charged with the possession of drugs with intent to supply? This is ignorance at its highest level. Do you have a family or children? Do you know the dangers of drugs? Someone trying to make a living on drugs by destroying other persons in the process and you feel sorry for them? You’ve got to be kidding me.
It its a sell out? Hats off to the person/persons who did it. It’s time that concerned citizens take a stand.
please dont condone his actions>>>why does wrong have to justify wrong?..come on man…he was involved in illegal activity and he got caught however he did..it was his turn n like many before and after him ……he did the crime now its time to do the time or pay the fine…david is my boii…am not from bagatelle but i visit very often and i never condone these kinds of things…
whoever did it was grudgeful or vengeful it had nothin to do with doin the right thing…wat we need to do is leave it to the one true judge and we will sit by wile their turns come!
is dat . every body make mistake . and is not kill he kill someone so y every body on his bk? plz get off his bk cuz wat goes around comes around. he was just trying 2 make a leaving he is not d only one who in dat ways now so plz get off thomas bk now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
so sad do not know who u a but u have a battle on your hand good luck paying all that money u should have been a litle smarter
you all that support the use of it why dont you all help him pay the fines.
amen to that thank you
41 pounds of weed, and rather expensive in the Courts too, about $1,620.00.
legalize the thing.i need some for my glocoma
Learn to spell….
morrrddiiinnneeee!…..whap!!
That ganja looks good…
DEM A INFORMER
u in it too dats y u saying dat…..y cnt u help him find a better way of living?..alu tink is so…u turn mabye wel next!!
Sad sad news….
Buy marinol instead
wow wow wow look at good weed i feel so sorry that all that have to go to waste my boy next time dont keep weed in your house and dont trust anyone not even your own shadow that was a selout big time
who tell you it going and waste
dem Babylon going and smoke dat
them babylon do dam right
4 ture den?
my boy u have to sell more weed to pay that . don’t give up because of them rat race.
u is a sonof a be… for adviceing him to sell more drogs may be are selling too,some of u are to lazy.
but they want to send a man life imprisonment for five grams of cocan not even an oz.
sad news about my school mate (GBSS)…
Sad? yeah very sad that he would choose to have all that weed in his posession to supply our people both young and old. Sad that he would choose to provide more drugs to ensure more paros on our street. Very Very Sad!!!!!!!!!!!
@ Lady, weed does not cause one to ‘paro.’
yes it does mix wit cocaine, and remember some have weak mind
is u dat no supessssssssss
boiiiii look at all dat weed dat dere ner…..i wish i had some to smoke all now…which one dat dere? Vincy? Jamy? or Da? lol lol…If only i cud get me some weed tonight so i can have a good night rest
How crap that’s a lot of weed!
u meant holy crap right?…lawll