Court orders a Roseau resident to pay $12000 as a settlement for fraud

Roseau, Dominica: A resident of River Street, Roseau has been directed to pay over $12,000.00 settlement to Rosa Darroux for Deception.

Prisma Joseph, who had declared himself guilty to the charges on October 5, 2020, was given his decision on December 8, 2020, by High Court Judge, Justice Wynante Adrien-Roberts.

According to the details of the case, between May 19, 2016, to June 8, 2016, Joseph dishonestly borrowed from Darroux the sum of EC$10,800.00 and later permanently deprive her of that sum.

In the first instance, Joseph falsely described to Darroux that $6000.00 was required from her as an instalment for a payment for a Honda HRV vehicle, which he agreed to order for her.

He then requested and got another $1,800.00 from Darroux for what he alleged was the extent of the said channel from the port and an additional $3000.00 for improved port charges.

Defense Attorney Peter Alleyne had told the court of his client’s readiness to pay the premium with interest.

According to Alleyne, Joseph had spent the last 2 years on remand at the Dominica State Prison whilst the matter was moving hence, “he has learnt from his practice, and he will walk the straight and narrow path.”

However, in giving down her sentence, Justice Adrien-Roberts said that Joseph employed some degree of thinking in getting the funds from Darroux.

She explained that, based on the social inquiry report, the Virtual Complainant (VC) felt emotional danger from the incident because at the time, she was getting the chemotherapy for breast cancer and was also the earner in her household and the money which she gave to Joseph for the event was from her savings and a loan.

The maximum penalty for Deception is almost 10 years in prison; however, the Judge gave an origin point of 2 years and 6 months.

Based on the mitigating fact, that is, Joseph agreed with the police during the investigation and his readiness to compensate the VC, three months were deducted.