BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – JOYLIN ROSS, the Guyanese national who resides at Hermitage, Nevis and was charged with two election offences, appeared in court today (Feb. 2) and was ordered to pay a fine or face imprisonment.
Ross was arrested by police on January 25, 2010 after it was believed that she took a picture of her ballot with her cellular phone while in the polling booth at the Ivor Walters Primary School. She was charged days later with taking a cell phone into a polling booth and using a cell phone in a polling booth, and her matter set to be heard today.
Defence Counsel Chesley Hamilton addressed the court earlier today, indicating to Her Worship Yasmine Clarke that he was recently contacted to represent Ross and would have liked some time to be properly instructed on the matter as well as to seek bail for her.
In response to Hamilton’s request, Prosecutor Inspector Mills suggested to the court that Ross has no immigration status in the Federation and if released on bail she might not attend the court hearing.
Her Worship Clarke indicated that the complexity of the matter was such that it had a criminal side and an immigration side, and she only had jurisdiction over the former.
All parties agreed on foregoing the issue of bail with the matter set for trial just hours after the initial hearing.
Sometime around midday, Ross was taken to the District “C” Magistrate’s Court (Nevis), where she pleaded guilty to the charge of entering a polling station with a cell phone. SKNVibes understands that the other charge was withdrawn because the police did not wish to proceed with the matter.
The young mother was ordered to pay $3 000 within the next six months or serve six months imprisonment at Her Majesty’s Prison.
SKNVibes learnt that Ross, notwithstanding the disposal of her case, is still in police custody, which was confirmed by Assistant Commissioner of Police Joseph Liburd.
Liburd explained that Ross “is in custody because her immigration status is not regularised” and added that he “does not know what plans she is making to regularise her status.”
This media house contacted Guyana Honorary Consul to St. Kitts and Nevis, Stanford Conway for a comment, who said he is happy that the case is over but Ross still has another hurdle to cross.
Asked if any assistance would be forthcoming from him, Conway said, “Ms. Ross has a fine to pay and it must be paid…she broke the law. As a law-abiding citizen, I do not support criminal activities, and as a representative of my country’s government, it would be foolhardy of me to condone Ms. Ross’ actions despite the circumstances.
“I think it’s a life-lesson not only for Ms. Ross, but also for all those who believe that by cooperating is the only way to escape a situation in which they are pressured to commit a criminal act. If Ms. Ross’ account of all the events that led to her committing the act, especially the alleged party supporter who regularly pressured her, she should have, in the first place, lodged a complaint with the police or contacted me.
“However, I do emphatise with her and will explore the various avenues in an attempt to have her immigration status legalised, so that she would no longer be separated from her daughter.”
