SYNOPSIS OF CASE: At the Magistrate’s court, the Respondents, members of the United Workers’ Party began proceedings against the Appellants, members of the Dominica Labour Party led by the Hon Mr Roosevelt Skerrit, for “treating.”
According to the law, the following persons are guilty of treating: every person who corruptly, by himself or by any other person, either before, during, or after an election, directly or indirectly, gives, or provides or pays wholly or in part the expenses of giving or providing any food, drink, entertainment, or provision to or for any person, for the purpose of corruptly influencing that person, or any other person, to vote or to refrain from voting at the election, or on account of that person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting at the election; every voter who corruptly accepts or takes any such food, drink, entertainment, or provision alleging that they sponsored two free public concerts for the purpose of corruptly influencing the electorate for the DLP.
The Appellants argue at this court that the matter was brought at the wrong court because treating concerns the constitutional question of whether a member was validly appointed, therefore any action had to brought by an elections petition to the High Court within the time prescribed by law, and since that time had expired, the Respondents could not bring any action against the Appellants for treating.
Media personnel are reminded that due to the implementation of COVID-19 restrictions at the CCJ building, proceedings will be held virtually Thursday December 10th 2020 beginning at 10 am AST/9 am EST and will only be accessible via the Court’s official YouTube channel.
To watch the hearing please click the following link: Roosevelt Skerrit and Ors. v Antoine Defoe and Ors.