ROSEAU, DOMINICA-Former Dominica’s CARICOM Youth Ambassador Annel Lewis, who was arrested and charged for theft of 22,000 dollars, the property of the Dominica Cooperative Societies League, with registrar of Co-operative Mariette Canoville-Joseph representing, made her first court appearance on Monday, March 9, 2026.
According to court documents, the incident is said to have taken place between October 1, 2025, and February 4, 2026.
She appeared before Senior Magistrate Michael Laudat, where the charge was read to her. The prosecution did not object to bail.
In making his bail application on behalf of Lewis, attorney at law Joshua Francis told the court that his client remains “innocent until proven guilty,” and while under the Bail Act Section 4 (2) she does not have a right to bail, the offence is “bailable.”
His client, he stated, will surrender to the jurisdiction of the court when required to do so, has a “fixed place of address, has close family ties, is not known to the court, will not abscond and will not commit any offences while on bail when it is granted.”
“My client will not interfere with witnesses or pervert the course of justice and is not a danger to herself or the public, should bail be granted,” Francis stated. He concluded by urging the court that “there was nothing in the public’s interest to justify the denial of bail.”
Bail conditions
The court then set bail for fifty thousand dollars with her mom as surety.
She’s to surrender to the jurisdiction of the court for case management on April 20, 2026.
Surrender all her travel documents by March 10, 2026. Must seek permission to travel and refrain from interfering with any prosecution witnesses and or agents. That matter is indictable to be tried by a Judge and jury, so she was not required to enter a plea.
Background
The Office of the Registrar for Cooperatives placed the Dominica Cooperative Societies League Limited (DCSLL) under Administrative Supervision, effective October 1, 2025.
The decision, which was formally communicated to members, creditors, and the general public, aimed to stabilize the League and facilitate a thorough review of its operations, according to an announcement issued by the Registrar’s Office.
As part of the supervisory measures, the League’s Board of Directors was also suspended.
Annel Lewis was appointed as Administrator and was to assume full control of the Society’s daily operations and management.
Annel Lewis was appointed as one of two Dominica’s CARICOM Youth Ambassadors from August 2017 to July 2018.
