Business woman/nurse Kenithia Sylvia Nicholas, a 41-year-old of View Point Warner, who, along with her fiancé, Nkosi Kwame Mwate Woodley, had been arrested and charged by the police on four firearm/ammunition-related offences, has been fined 5,000 dollars to be paid by October 30, 2026; in default, she will spend time in jail.
She pleaded guilty to the four charges read to her while her fiancé pleaded not guilty, and the charges against him were withdrawn. They were represented in the matter by lawyer Zena Moore Dyer.
Brief Facts
On July 23, 2026, the police received some credible information and, as a result of that information, applied for and obtained a search warrant in the name of Kenithia Sylvia Nicholas and on July 24, 2026 at around 02:10hours armed with the warrant and along with other police officers from the Fire Arms /Task Force and Drugs Squad went to the home of the accused where she was met.
After identifying themselves as police officers, she was shown the warrant, and it was read to her, informing her that they came to search her premises for “illegal firearms.”
However, before the search commenced, she was asked if she was “the holder of a valid firearms and ammunition licence,” and she said, “Yes, a .380 pistol.” She was again asked if she had any illegal firearms and ammunition, and she replied that there were a few .9mm rounds of ammunition in her bedroom combination safe which belonged to her ex-boyfriend, which she secured three years ago after there break up.
During the search in the safe, in her presence, 3 live rounds of .99 ammunition and 2 Remington UMC ammunition boxes containing a combined total of 89 live rounds of .9mm ammunition were recovered. When asked if she was a licensed firearm holder to keep the .9mm rounds of ammunition, she replied “no.”
The search continued, and one black Glock pistol box containing (2) 15-round and (1) 10 round capicity glock magazines and 30 live rounds of .9mm ammunition were found. Also found were one live round and one spent shell casing of .9mm were also found. As a result, she was arrested along with her fiancé.
Mitigation
In her mitigation plea, counsel Zena Dyer begged of the court to “temper justice with mercy and not to impose a custodial sentence on her client.”
“She’s a hard-working child assisting her mom from the age of 10…she entered the nursing profession and is a registered nurse now in private practice in Dominica and also a registered nurse in the USA; she is also a businesswoman operating a restaurant,” Moore Dyer told the court. She further posited that the situation that her client was in was brought about by her ex-boyfriend, who was also a licensed firearm holder, leaving the island to return and never did.
“This young lady is remorseful, and she’s a first-time offender. She has already suffered and spent 3 nights in police cell sleeping on cardboard and concrete; she has been humiliated, her practice in the USA is in trouble, she now has no profession,” Moore Dyer told the court.
She then pleaded with the court to impose a fine of “$2,000.00 per charge or make a one-time fine of “$5,000.00.”
Sentencing
Presiding Magistrate Kimana Alfred, after reviewing the law, which makes for a fine of $15,000.00 and/or 5 years in jail or both on the charges, stated that she would “not impose a custodial sentence.” After giving her a 1/3 discount for a guilty plea and also a first-time offender, she then said her sentence on the first charge would be $7,500.00; however, Moore-Dyer further intervened, spoke of the sentencing guideline, and asked the court to “deviate from it.”
After listening to Moore-Dyer, Magistrate Alfred then imposed a fine of $1,250.00 on each of the charges, bringing the total fine to $5,000.00 in default of one year and six months in jail. The fine must be paid by October 30, 2026.
Nah man! What was the voice of the prosecution in all of this? We read only about the pleas of the defense. The sum of $5,000 for the said “gun-related offenses” is inadequate! What message are we sending? SMFH! Kimana had it right in the first instance; $7,500 seems reasonable.
Illegal firearm in antigua is fine and confine. She should be asked to pay more since she was not confined to prison.
This is truly a big comical joke. Are we really serious about reducing crime, gun control and eradicating illegal guns in Dominica?
How many time have we had illegal gun amnesties in Dominica and very few people take the opportunity to surrender the illegal guns in their possession. If this lady was so genuine and law abiding, she would have taken advantage of the opportunities offered to turn in these illigal items.
The magistrates are way too lenient in these matters, and keep sending the wrong signals to would be criminals.