As the Dominica police continue to crack down on those they claim “illegally held a protest on March 19, 2025,” they have arrested former Member of Parliament Daniel “Danny” Lugay of the Opposition United Workers Party (UWP).
Lugay was picked up by the police at his home in Goodwill earlier today, according to UWP leader Dr. Thomson Fontaine.
The police action has already seen the arrest of four individuals, including Hector John, the former MP for Salisbury constituency, who were charged with “unlawful, riotously and tumultuously assembly together to the disturbance of the public”.
Speaking to Talk Show Host Matt Peltier on his “Matt in the Morning show” Dr. Fontaine stated, “We’ve just been informed that Danny Lugay, the former member of parliament for the Roseau North constituency, has been taken into police custody and is currently at the Roseau Police Headquarters…several other individuals are being targeted by the police, and it seems they have decided to arrest him as part of a broader crackdown.”
Dr. Fontaine indicated, “I wouldn’t be surprised if I was also on the police’s radar.”
“We talked this morning about this march towards a police state and a tyrant in government. It looks like it was closer than I could have imagined,” he said, reflecting on the escalating political climate in Dominica.
The police have also confirmed that female taxi driver Paula Celestine and Imran Joseph are also in custody.
Female taxi driver Paula Celestine
In the meantime, John, Bernard Moreau, and John Baptiste Charles appeared before Senior Magistrate Michael Laudat on March 24, 2025, and were released on bail of EC$30,000.00 each with one surety. Samuel Durand, the other co accused, was denied bail by the Magistrate after the prosecution headed by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple objected to his bail stating that he had breached his bail conditions of November 2024 of six thousand dollars after he was arrested and charged by the police for malicious damage, resisting arrest and battery on police.
As part of his bail conditions, he was told by the court he should “not reoffend while on bail and risk having his bail revoked.” He is presently an inmate on remand at the State’s prison. His lawyers say they will appeal the Magistrate’s decision.