Magistrate Hansel Valerie has granted bail to prominent Dominican attorney Ronald Charles in the sum of EC$25,000.00 in his own recognizance with no conditions.
Charles, a member of the United Workers Party (UWP) and former opposition Senator, was arrested by the police earlier today under the Riot Act for the March 19, 2025 protest action.
It must also be noted, that Charles and lawyer Joshua Francis have been the lawyers dealing with those previously arrested by the police for “Unlawful assembly under the Riot Act for the March 19, 2025 protest action.”
His lawyer, Geoffrey Letang, first requested of the court, that his client a practicing attorney, should not be placed in the “defendants’ box as a matter of courtesy” and be given a chair to sit on during the proceedings. There were no objections from Director of Public Prosecutions Sherma Dalrymple on the request and it was so allowed by the Magistrate.
Letang also informed the court that with him in the matter is Shanice Henry, Anand Ramlogan, SC, Joshua Francis, and also members of the Dominica Bar Association.
In making his request for bail which was not objected to by the DPP, he stated that Charles is a “license practicing attorney in Dominica, has never been convicted of any offences, has fully co-operated with the police and is a fit and proper person in society and that bail should be granted to him in his own recognizance.”
There were no objections from the DPP to that request.
Magistrate Valerie then granted bail in the sum of EC$25,000.00 to Charles in his own recognizance with no conditions.
The matter was set for August 21, 2025.
