By Ronalda Luke-Pascal
A police officer has been granted bail of $30,000.00 after appearing at the Roseau Magistrate Court on two charges of illegal drug possession and trafficking.
Direl Etienne, a resident of Pointe Carib and member of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force (CDPF), now faces a criminal trial after pleading not guilty to both offenses.
According to the complaint, it alleged that on June 20, 2025, Etienne had in his possession 1,100 grams of cocaine at Pointe Carib. The second complaint further alleged that on the aforementioned date, the police officer did engage in drug trafficking, by having in his possession 1,100 grams of cocaine with the intent to supply the drugs to another.
During his court appearance, the accused elected to have a summary trial at the Magistrate’s Court and entered a plea of “not guilty to both charges.” His legal team, Attorneys Gina Abraham-Thomas and Wayne Norde, formally applied for bail on his behalf.
In her application, Attorney Abraham-Thomas relied on Section 6 of the Bail Act, highlighting that there was no evidence to suggest that Etienne should be denied bail. Specifically, she pointed out that subsection (b) of the Bail Act outlines circumstances where bail may be denied, such as threats to public safety, risk of flight, or risk of obstructing justice. However, she argued that none of these conditions applied to her client.
The defense attorney assured the court that Etienne would comply with the conditions of bail, noting that he had no intention of committing further offenses while on bail or interfering with witnesses. She also emphasized that the accused would surrender to the court when required and would not pose a threat to the public or the administration of justice.
Abraham-Thomas further posited that in the event of any doubt, the court could impose specific conditions to ensure Etienne’s attendance at subsequent hearings and to maintain public order during the case.
State Attorney Fernilla Felix-Frederick, representing the prosecution, acknowledged that pursuant to Section 6 of the Bail Act, there was no evidence at this stage to justify the denial of bail to Etienne. She further noted that Section 7 of the Bail Act had been satisfied and the prosecution had “no objections to the bail requested being granted with proper surety.”
Recognizing the court’s inherent discretion, the state attorney added that the prosecution submits to the court’s authority to either grant or deny bail in this matter.
Following an assessment of the proposed surety, the accused’s father, Pius Edwin Etienne, was deemed fit and proper to stand bail for his son. As a result, Magistrate Michael Laudat granted Etienne’s bail of $30,000.00, with five conditions attached.
The accused was ordered to surrender his travel documents to the court by 9:00 a.m. on June 24, 2025. He is also required to seek permission from the court at least 72 hours in advance if he wishes to leave the country during the case proceedings.
Additionally, Etienne was ordered to live an honest and industrious life whilst on bail and report to the Grand Bay Police Station once a week.
He was further ordered to surrender to the Grand Bay Magistrate Court on September 1, 2025, for the commencement of the trial, as well as any other date set by the court throughout the course of the proceedings.
The Magistrate cautioned that failure to comply with these conditions would result in the revocation of bail.