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Dominica

Incitement case against ex-minister tossed

Published:Wednesday | November 13, 2019 | 12:40 AM

ROSEAU (CMC):

A magistrate court has dismissed a charge of incitement against a former government minister and political activist after the prosecution failed to provide evidence to support the allegation.

Athie Martin, who is also a talk-show host, was arrested on December 18, 2018, for inciting to block a public road in the city during an “unlawful” protest organised by the Concerned Citizens Movement (CCM) on December 15 as part of the group’s campaign for electoral reform in the country.

Police Commissioner Daniel Carbon had described the protest as illegal.

The magistrate court had given the prosecution opportunities to submit evidence in support of the charge against Martin, a former agriculture minister, who was being defended by a battery of lawyers headed by attorney Cara Shillingford.

At the last court appearance, the prosecution was told that if evidence was not forthcoming, the matter would have been dismissed on November 11, the schedule date for the case.

But when the matter was called on Monday, the prosecution again failed to provide the evidence.