ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – A Justice of the Peace Wednesday ordered former overseas affairs minister Dr. Kenneth Darroux to pay EC$5,000 (One EC greenback=US$0.37 cents) instantly after he was convicted on gun-related prices.
“Possession of a firearm is a critical offense, and we see it escalating in Dominica and the Caribbean, bringing an outcry to the society. I can’t impose a custodial sentence since you’re a first-time offender, absolutely co-operated, and we didn’t have a protracted trial,” Justice of the Peace Michael Laudat mentioned.
Dr. Darroux, who’s the Particular Envoy within the Workplace of the Prime Minister, had pleaded responsible to 2 prices that on January 16, this yr, he imported one Glock 19 barrel and in addition one Glock 17 slide with out being the holder of a license to take action as is required beneath the Firearms Act.
Dr. Darroux had elected for a abstract trial on the Justice of the Peace Court docket, on condition that the costs might have been summarily or indictable on the Excessive Court docket.
His lawyer, Lennox Lawrence, advised the courtroom that his consumer had been the holder of a firearms license for the previous 10 years, and he truthfully and genuinely thought that his “firearms license was sufficiently sufficient.”
Dr. Darroux holds two licenses for a Glogg 19 firearm arm; each licenses are legitimate. He imported private results and one Glogg 19 barrel that arrived in Dominica on January 22, 2024.
When the customs officer examined the package deal, he discovered a Glogg 17 slide and one Glogg 19 barrel. They had been seized, and the matter was reported to the police.
The courtroom heard that Dr. Darroux admitted to the acquisition however acknowledged that since he was the holder of a firearms license, he thought that was enough for him to order the firearm equipment.
Consequently, he was arrested and slapped with the 2 prices.
“He fashioned a regrettably incorrect view…this was not a full firearm. It solely has parts of a firearm,” Lawrence advised the courtroom.
“There aren’t any aggravating circumstances on this case; that is anyone who has not hid something from the police; he’s a first-time offender who’s saying to the courtroom I’m sorry.”
Lawrence mentioned Dr. Darroux, 53, a former well being minister and a medical practitioner by career, is a real member of society, and it might serve no helpful objective if he’s given “a custodial sentence.
“That is an impressive group member; we’re asking for particular issues however not particular favors,” he mentioned.
“All of us make errors. This matter mustn’t have even reached the courtroom. It ought to have been handled administratively,” Lawrence mentioned, including that his consumer ought to be “reprimanded and discharged.”
However he mentioned if the courtroom is minded to impose a positive, it ought to be “tiny simply to make an announcement.”
Relating to the general public’s curiosity within the matter, the protection lawyer mentioned that the general public’s curiosity just isn’t served by penalizing his consumer for crimes dedicated by different people.
“He can not carry the sins of different offenders” and urged the Justice of the Peace to “disregard something mentioned by the prosecution about public’s curiosity.”
In his ruling, Justice of the Peace Laudat mentioned he wouldn’t adhere to the sentencing tips because it was “not within the public’s curiosity.”
However he mentioned that “ignorance of the legislation is not any excuse, and the nation has seen the prevalence of unlawful firearms, and the courtroom should ship out a transparent message.”
For possession of the Glogg 19 barrel, Dr. Darroux was fined EC$3,000.00 to be paid instantly in default, six months in jail, and for the importation of the Glogg 17 slides, he was fined EC$2,000.00 additionally to be paid instantly or in default six months in jail.
The fines had been paid instantly.
Below the Firearm Act of Dominica, Dr. Darroux might have been fined EC$15,000.00 and be despatched to jail for seven years.
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