ROSEAU, DOMINICA– What was expected to be a bail application on September 9, 2025, turned out to be a withdrawal of the Senior Magistrate Michael Laudat from the drugs and ammunition case involving Police Constable Anthony Francis Jr.
Constable Francis, who at the time of his arrest was stationed at the Mahaut Police Station, was slapped with possession of five (5) rounds of 12-gauge ammunition without being a holder of a valid license in respect to that ammunition. He was also charged with possession of 20 rounds of 7.5 ammunition without being the holder of a valid license in respect of the same.
The third charge was theft of 61 rounds of 9mm ammunition valued at $151.50, thirty-six (36) rounds of 5.56 ammunition valued at $108.00, five (5) rounds of 12 gauge ammunition valued at $35.00, twenty (20) rounds of 7.5 ammunition valued at $100.00 and 286 gramks of cocaine valued at $7,722.00 all to the total value of $8,117.50 the property of the Commonwealth of Dominica Police Force.
On his first court appearance on September 5, 2025, he pleaded guilty to all three charges and was kept in custody for the facts on September 8, 2025. However, on that court date, he appeared with his lawyer, Tiyania Behanzin, who asked the court to re-read the charges to him. He then pleaded “not guilty” to all, and his lawyer then made a bail application on his behalf, telling the court that before this alleged incident, his client had been “a model Police Officer” and had two young children, was the sole breadwinner of his family, denying him bail was “not in the best interest of society.”
Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Sherma Dalrymple represented the prosecution in the matter and objected to bail, telling the court that the alleged offences were “serious, given the offences charged, under the Bail Act, bail was ‘not a right’ and “it was not in the public’s interest to so grant bail.” She also told the court that the prosecution intended to call an “expert witness” to testify on the callibre of ammunitions stolen and its potent now being in the hands of the public.
However, defense lawyer Behanzin objected, but his objection was overruled by the court, stating that the law provides for the prosecution to call witnesses, and also the defense. He then gave each party time to prepare, file, and serve statements via affidavits and to return to court on September 9, 2025, when he will deliver his ruling on the bail application.
When the matter came up for hearing, defense lawyer Behanzin informed the court that he faced several challenges in filing his client’s rebuttal and asked that he be allowed to address the court on the matter. The court denied his request because he had failed to adhere to the court’s requirements.
After a brief adjourment, the Magistrate returned and explained that, given all that had transpired, he, as a minister of justice, did not feel confident that he could administer justice to the accused and that he was recusing himself from the matter and placed it before the Chief Magistrate, who will now deal with the bail application. The matter was adjourned to September 11, 202,5, in St. Joseph.
Constable Francis was remanded at the State’s Prison pending his bail application.