85-year-old woman as surety in bail to pay $20,000 in Dominica

An 85-year-old woman from Dominica was ordered to pay $20,000 to the court forthwith as a man filled with Unlawful Sexual Intercourse failed to look in court to respond to the charges.

The woman, who was listed as surety (a person who comes to court and promises to a Professional or a Magistrate to conduct an accused person while they are out on bail) on a $20,000 bail for the arrested appeared before High Court Judge, Justice Wynante Adrien-Roberts on December 10, 2020, to answer to the court why bail should not be forfeited for the accused.

Since January 10, 2020, the court made many requests, to no avail, to the surety to have the accused person in court for his trial which was expected to commence on November 16, 2020.

According to the woman, the arrested man was also studying abroad and could not return because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“He did not return because of coronavirus because if he gets back, he would have to stay 14 days in quarantine,” she told the court.

When questioned by State Attorney, Sherma Dalrymple, the woman did, however, show that the arrested had made his subjects sometime this year and she was uncertain if he had any plan of reverting to Dominica.

The woman said she was dependant on pension and literally had no source of income and she told the court, “this is the last amount of money I had in the bank…but whatever the court says I’ll do.”

Defence Counsel, Anthony Commodore, made no statement for time to pay the money hence, the Judge established that the payment be made forthwith.

As a result, the court abandoned bail for the arrested and a bench warrant is in effect for his arrest.