Jackson Allen Hill of Grand Savanne Salisbury has pleaded guilty to making threats to Levi Peter the Attorney General (AG) of Dominica and was slapped with a $1,000.00 fine and also given a six-month jail sentence suspended for two years.
A construction worker and also a farmer, Hill on September 5, 2023, called the office of the AG issuing threats to him.
Brief facts on the matter
On Tuesday, August 29, 2023, the Attorney General (AG) Levi Peter participated in the Government of Dominica Election Reform exercise held at the Wills Strathmore Primary School in Marigot.
In his presentation, he rebutted as “an untrue statement made by the former MP for Salisbury Hector John alleging that officers of the Dominica Police Force and that of the Regional Security System (RSS) had attacked the people of Salisbury on the eve of the 2019 General Elections in Dominica.”
According to the AG, he does not recall making any statement about Salisbury otherwise known as “Bawi people.”
On Tuesday, September 5, 2023, at about 8 am, the AG was not at his office. Still, at about 8:31 am Heather Rolle a clerk at the office answered the telephone, and the caller a male voice had this to say to her, “Tell Mr. Levi, leave Jean Bawi alone and do not call Jean Bawi’s name in his mouth or things will turn sour.”
When asked to give his name, the caller refused, however, Ms Rolle observed that the caller was from FLOW phone number 285-2330, she reported the matter to the Senior State Attorney in the AG’s Chambers, and the matter was also reported to Tameka Burton Solicitor General who instructed that a report of threats be made to the police on that same day.
On Friday, March 1, 2024, Corporal Boycott Yankey who was investigating the matter, at about 7:30 pm left with other police officers on duty to Grand Savanne Salisbury and met the defendant outside the Highway Pub after introducing himself to him as a police officer, informed him of the report of threats, he also attempted to flee and, in the process, dropped his cell phone, he was apprehended and arrested on suspicion and taken to the Roseau Police Station.
He was told of his rights to have an attorney of his choice and informed of the report made but he did not respond to questions nor did he request a lawyer.
He was then informed about a request to have a written interview recorded to which he consented without a lawyer. Questioned about the phone call, he agreed that he made the call since he had heard the AG Levi Peter say “something about his village that gave him a tease.”
“I said the words for true, but I did not mean that I not a man like that in politics, I used my phone to call the AG’s office,” he told the police. He also agreed that the number 285-2330 belonged to him and in his presence the police called the number and it rang.
At the end of the interview, he was formally arrested and charged with threats and replied, “Can I write an apology letter.”
Mitigation
He told the court that he was the only one home taking care of things, that he was “a respectful young man aged 40 years not getting into trouble and begged the court for mercy.”
Sentence
He was informed by the court that “threats” are serious and carry a fine of $5,000.00 or six months in jail on conviction, but the court will not impose a custodial sentence on him. “You cannot be making calls and issuing threats to people, the phone is not for that purpose,” the Magistrate told him.
He was fined $1,000.00 to be paid by September 30, 2024, in default 6 months in jail. The court also imposed a six-month jail sentence on him suspended for two years until March 4, 2026. His phone was also seized by the court.
Justice is served. Jackson Allen Hill is a victim too, though. A victim of those in the opposition who have instigated him through their lies, propaganda, mind-bending tactics, and fiery rhetoric. They preyed on his ignorance and vulnerability. All those who seek to flip the script on what truly happened at Salisbury during that period should be picked up as well because it is they who planted the seed and lit the fire in him.