COMMENTARY: The Fear of a Fair trial

The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Dominica provides that every man charged with a criminal offence is entitled to a fair hearing/trial within a reasonable time by an independent and impartial court established by law. It also dictates that everyone is equal before the law.

How then does this square with the reality of what has been happening in Dominica over the past several years viz-a-viz the experience of political operatives in the matter of trials before the court as well as the institution of state charges against such operatives.

As far back as 2015, criminal charges of Treating were brought against 15 Parliamentarians of the ruling Dominica Labour Party arising out of the 2014 general elections. It is said that election matters should be dealt with and disposed speedily—how ironic!! Since that time and for almost SIX years the DLP operatives, led by Roosevelt Skerrit and his Controller, by a myriad of political and legal machinations, have hidden themselves away from a trial of their peers. WHY?  Simple. Knowing what  they have done and been doing over the years, they are in mortal fear of being found guilty of their crimes and the consequent penalty. In other words, Mr. Skerrit and his gang are in Fear of a Fair trial.

So in their desperate bid to escape a Fair trial, the marauding accused criminals roamed from here to the CCJ and back in search of an escape route. Alas there was none.

First, they asked the DPP to quash….they were snubbed and ignored!  Then they sought and got solace from the first court…that was short lived. The Court of Appeal said no to them and the CCJ dealt them the ultimate blow. Still, they approached the New DPP and were again ignored. In final desperation, they asked the Trial magistrate to save them from actual trial. He refused. So now, all eyes are fixed on July 8th 2021 when RS’s Fear of a Fair trial will be on full show

But their Fear of a Fair trial does not end here. There is the matter of the 2019 Election Petitions which is lumbering its way through the courts. Lumbering… because, again the accused have intervened to stop the matters being heard by an independent tribunal, in their   hope that they will avoid facing a Fair trial. It was Roosevelt Skerrit who, with much bravado, called on the Petitioners to ‘bring your evidence and lets fight in the court’…now he has cold feet and is apparently running scared. He can run but will not be allowed to hide…Astaphans assertion that the matter is ‘dead in the water’ notwithstanding.

One important caution…all guards must be kept up high. In the final analysis desperate men will do desperate things. Remember Gon Emmanuel, Police officer George, Lennox Linton and the UK mercenaries, Lennox Lawrence’s drone attacks and the frightened/threatened family of MJB. Anything can happen!

Astoundingly, these marauders against the constitutional rule of law reserved their fiercest manifestation of their Fear of a Fair trial for the shameless dismantling of the Integrity  in Public  Office(IPO) Act. While Mr.Skerrit was before the court, brought there by the IPO itself for an  alleged  breach of the Act, The Prime Minister(the Accused) and his colleagues in parliament despicably repealed the Act, dissolved the IPO, appointed a Board in their image and likeness and brazenly made provision in the replacement  Act  for the new group of ‘yes men’ to withdraw the case against Skerrit which was pending before the court! How  much  more  desperate  and despicable can this  kakistocracy get?!

Oh how this country bleeds for relief from these unscrupulous men and women who are in such mortal Fear of a Fair trial.

In the meantime, while DLP operatives, supporters and friends avoid the courts for Fear of a Fair trial, UWP and other Opposition people are dragged before the courts with vulgar disrespect  and impunity and more importantly, for NO LEGITIMATE reason. The list is long and includes;

Lennox Linton

Thompson Fontaine

Hector John

Claudius Sanford

Edison James

Joshua Francis

Joseph Isaac

Brian Linton

Seth Gussie

Poro George

Hackey Soul Puss

Nicholas George

Moun Seye

Loftus Durand

Johnson Boston

Athie Martin….

 

After four years, Lennox Linton is still being dragged before the court on a trumped up charge of an attempted coup by truck and sound system. This, notwithstanding the fact that  based on the witness bundles before the court, there is NOT ONE SHRED of evidence to sustain a case.

Meanwhile, Thompson Fontaine remains under siege of a misguided arrest warrant which has effectively kept him out from his homeland for several years.

Essentially, the court and its functioning remains  significantly under the control of the ruling regime. This is contrary to the dictates of our Constitution and the laws of our country and must be changed. Significantly, that change will be realized only when we change the Regime.

There is work to be done!

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8 Comments

  1. Ibo France
    June 5, 2021

    The leadership of the country was gifted to a relatively young Roosevelt Skerrit. What a COLOSSAL MISTAKE! All this man has done, so far, is to decorate his ego; hemorrhage the resources of the country; emasculate his opponents; besmirched the country’s once pristine image and vulgarly enrich himself while at the same time pauperized tens of thousands of his fellow citizens for generations.

    This man’s civil servant salary cannot legitimately account for his monstrous wealth. This renegade has an insatiable appetite for lies, opulence, spite, recognition and power.

    He should be eliminated from the political landscape of Dominica so that the country can breathe easily again.

  2. Ibo France
    June 4, 2021

    It’s outrageous that a egotistical, infantile tyrant (Skerrit) can severely disrupt and destroy families by denying them employment in the public sector or dragging them before the court for frivolous reasons and outright lies.

    Is it right, for Mr. Linton, for the umpteenth time, to go before a magistrate sometime this month on the BIG LIE?

    Mr. Skerrit has to be the personification of SATAN to still pursue this concocted case against a law abiding citizen. The public funds that he uses to pay the high powered Trinidadian lawyers , why doesn’t he use it to fix the pothole diseased roads, the dilapidated DSC, the public library , the ‘run down’ police stations, etcetera.

    In politics, there will always be opposition. It doesn’t mean because we are on opposite sides of the political aisle we are enemies. Let’s get it straight. We may be Freedomites, UWpites, Labourites,, Alternativepites, but first and foremost we are all Dominicans and no one can change or take away that.

  3. The Truth Be Told
    June 3, 2021

    Ulric West Peter
    A question for you.
    Who is taking who to court?
    If my memory serves me right, it is the Opposition who is always taking the ruling party to court.
    Over and over they are doing the same thing.
    Not being political or supporting any either. Just letting you know.
    And for your information, I am physically in Dominica.
    I don’t endorse hearsay but deal with facts.

  4. BobD
    June 3, 2021

    A true Emotional statement if there was one. What is mis-understood by the UWP, is that the DLP have consolidated STATE power. Dominica’ post Colonial Constitution , can be addressed by who ever is in control, UWP included. One thing that must be cognized, no court of local law will rule against the sitting Gov’t, unless they the Gov’t have lost the support of the people. The way things are headed, it seems that the DLP will have to shoot themselves in the foot to lose their present hold.Then again when one looks at the perils of Democracy, it’s all about power play, no scope of Morality.

  5. Ibo France
    June 3, 2021

    Every DICTATORIAL GOVERNMENT throughout the world, with no exception, does this. They use the military might of the State (Police & Army) to intimidate, harass, jail, brutalize, silence and eliminate their opponents. This is what presently obtains in Dominica, which is undoubtedly now a fully fledged DICTATORSHIP.

    Also, the leaders and their cronies become unimaginably rich while the vast majority of the residents are kept in desperate impoverishment and squalor.

    Under Skerrit’s captaincy Poverty-Up; Unemployment Up; Murders Up; Vagrancy Up; Sexual Molestation Up. Nothing coming Down, not even the rains want to come down these days in Dominica.

    When we thought it couldn’t get worse, here comes the Choksi debacle. Mr. Skerrit is a magnet for trouble, controversy, corruption and rottenness.

  6. Lin clown
    June 3, 2021

    Ulric West Peter is the biggest JACKA in the UWP pack.JACKA Ulric does not know the 2019 petition brought against the DLP members were dismissed by the court of appeal,ALAS,another LOST SOUL.UWP will LOSE the 2014 case,already the only one standing is St.Valle,with no evidence,no representation,no money.For your information the majority of Dominicans stand with and support Skerrit.I do not know how this JACKA Ulric does not know,just as UWP was kick out of office for CORRUPTION,so too was the 2019 election petition.Next election it is going to be 20-1,only Salisbury will be standing.Dominicans know the cases brought against the DLP is wrapped up in DOMINICA GREED.Another one posting from a MENTAL INSTITUTION.

    • Ibo France
      June 4, 2021

      You are just totally preoccupied and obsessed with the word JACKA. Whatever it means you are more one of it than any other Dominican. Reasoning with you is like reasoning with a corpse. BRAIN DEAD! HUMAN VEGETABLE!

  7. %
    June 3, 2021

    Meanwhile many have accumulated massive wealth, which their legal income cannot account for, but their day must come!!!
    They must be totally bereft of any form of reason, to believe they shall escape all their evil work against the state and its people.

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