Road House Owner Sentenced to 12 Months for Illegal Firearm Possession

1. That is craziness. How many Syrians and others have not been caught with illegal fire arm and ammunition and all they got was a fine. This need to be appealed immediately. Why the heck does he takes Bowen as his lawyer? There are so many good lawyers. At least former COP Robinson would have been able to do a better job. Dawson please change lawyer and appeal this decision. The AG should speak out against this. Dawson has done no crime in the past to deserve this kind of punishment. He runs a very prominent business where many patronize him. I’m very upset with this judgement. It is a shame. Who the hell is this Magistrate Ngaio Emanuel. Have him removed immediately Mr. AG.

2. Honestly speaking, the crazy part is your suggestion that he should appeal his sentence after he pleaded guilty.
   In addition I think it was a good deal considering the report stated ‘weapons’ which suggests more than one.
   Now to your point, I am with you, He has never been in any trouble before, a prominent business man, the way the system favor some person’s and others are treated harshly. I agree with you 100 percent.
   However ask yourself this question, what caused the police to conduct such a search in the first place?

3. So American lady came here with arms and armunition and she was a le to return home scot free after about 4 days

4. The sentence is not enough for the possession of Firearms and Ammunition. For those who are saying the sentence is too high are the ones who support criminal activities

5. We like to condone foolishness. He broke the law no excuses yes they should have taken certain thing into consideration but at the end of the day he broke the law. Secondly Alo you are an idiot to mention that American lady case she is a license fire arm carrier and she had a round which is not uncommon but give it up to the Antiguans who found it when she was leaving after the lady travelled through two American airport and then entering Antigua. She was on vacation with her family where is the comparison of what he did. Please make common sense of it. Yess too much guns on the street and the punshiment must be hard to let them know it won’t be accepted

6. I am really saddened by this. Why the need for jail time? The man pleaded guilty and have no previous convictions. Zukai is not a violent man by any means.

7. Hmmmmmmmm

8. @Audley..from day one you have been overly passionate about this issue. Perhaps you should seek to do his rime if that were possible.

9. The length at which you people are seemingly prepared to go to defend friend and company GUILTY of crime is truly astonishing.

10. There was a crime committed, I understand and there will be consequences. I also would accept and empathize if this business man was holding weapons, only for safety, to protect his staff, himself and property. This would be mitigating circumstances that I would consider in determining punishment.

    When I was in Antigua, I genuinely felt unsafe and I can see why someone would want to have a weapon by any means, I accepted that I will not be breaking the law and will simply take logical steps to secure my safety. But I did feel the pressure and urgency to have a weapon. I accepted death than to break the law. There are people who would enjoy seeing you fail and a lot of times accepting death would be better than to make those people enjoy your failure.

    This case is one of those cases that you feel bad about, if he was only in fear of vicious crimes and fell to the pressure of ensuring his own safety because truly and honestly, the police and government officials are not taking reasonable, prudent and pragmatic steps to protect the public that includes businesses from vicious crimes.

    The first thing you must see to determine reasonable actions are taken is to ask, are there experts in this field at the helm? Are there social scientist at any part of the helm? And if the answer is no, then there could be no reasonable steps in protecting society being taken. No matter what actions are being taken, it would not be reasonable.

    Again, this is not a political attack, it is caring for the people. So, if this man felt pressured to get the weapons to protect then we as society and government officials have failed him and must take some blame here.

    The statements I made here only applies if the weapons was only acquired and being used for safety and nothing else.

11. PROBLEM FOR READERS: – SPARSITY OF FACTS

    NOT DEFENCE ATTORNEY NOR MAGISTRATE

    Clearly, ‘…The Problem’ appears ‘…Not to have been the ‘…Defence Attorney,’ nor even the ‘EMOTIONS’ expressed in the published comments.

    Neither does it appear to be the ‘…District Magistrate.’

    It appears clearly the ‘…SPARSITY OF FACTS.’

    These appear to be among the ‘….MISSING FACTS:’

    (a) …The ‘Amended Penalty’ in the ‘…FIREARMS (AMENDMENT) ACT’ has long been moved ‘…Beyond the option of a Fine;
    (b) …The new Penalty for Possession of a ‘…Firearm Without Licence,’ is ‘…2-YEARS
    IMPRISONMENT’ [Firearm (Amendment) Act: No. 27 of 2017].

    (c) …The Defendant was said to have lawfully been in possession of a duly registered and
    licensed holder of a Firearm. There appears to have been no issue with this Firearm.

    THREE OTHER FIREARMS- PROBLEMATIC

    (d) …He was reportedly found in possession of ‘…3-OTHER FIREARMS’ of which he
    possessed no Licence.’ This would have been ‘…Problematic.’

    DARN LUCKY

    A Defendant Sentenced to ‘…12-months,’ might be said to be ‘…DARN LUCKY’ to get ‘ONLY’ 4-Months’ for each of the ‘…Three-Illegally Possessed Firearms.’

    QUESTION – EMOTIONAL CRITICISMS

    ‘…Why should a ‘…Defence Attorney’ or a ‘….Magistrate’ be targeted for ‘…Emotional Criticisms’ for clearly, the reckless behavior of a Defendant?’

    LOGIC

    It can easily be inferred that the ‘DEFENDANT’ knew he should make an application, and was ‘…Successful.’

    Simple ‘…Logic,’ therefore, suggested that the ‘…Defendant’ knew he needed a ‘…Firearm’s User’s Licence’ for the one that authorizes him to possess, keep and ‘…USE LAWFULLY’ for his ‘…Personal Protection.’

    READ THE FIREARMS ACT: CHAPTER 171 [Section 6]. Then read the ‘…AMENDMENTS’ [No. 27 of 2017].

    NOTEWORTHY

    Stay out of JAIL. APPLY TO THE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE, the ‘…Three-member ‘HARDLINED’ Committee (to the indigenous), may just oblige.

12. One may need to protect one self especially if running a business, but does it take four firearm and ammunition to do so? By the way how did come to jump on that search in the first place? I wonder if some of these Clowns that they picked up off the streets lately start talking.

13. Pompey thanks for clearing that up brother

14. I honestly believe he was illegally selling firearms. Sometimes these successfully business owners get very greedy and find all sort of other means to make additional cash…I know many will think that is a bit far fetched but it happens everyday right here in Antigua. There are popular business owners who are into illigal. Business activities and they believe their calm nature, success and pleasant personality will disguise it. I also strongly believe someone ratted on him out of badmind because Police are not just going to randomly be in the mood to search his business .As they always say two money cyah fight…

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