Special Justice

Suspicion surrounds the police's treatment of Andrew Armour who was arrested almost six months after a boating incident which claimed the life of a US citizen. Law officials are also baffled about the process of granting him bail.

Armour was arrested and charged last week for the manslaughter of Casey-Ann Schulman, an American student who was killed in a boating incident off the coast of Mero in December 2012.

On the day of his arrest, on May 8 2013, Armour remained at Police Headquarters in Roseau just past 2:30pm, a police source who requested anonymity told the Sun. Armour's lawyer, after consultations with the police, went to the magistrate's court and asked the magistrate to come to Police Headquarters since the police had agreed to grant bail to Armour at Police Headquarters.

Neither the conditions of Armour's bail nor his bail amount have been revealed, the Sun has been told.

"This is the first time that I am hearing of such where someone has been granted bail at Police Headquarters and then does not appear in court the next day," a police source said "Where is the justice, what is really happening to the justice system in Dominica."

Calls to the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to enquire about the amount of bail that was posted also reveal that officials there are also in the dark. Acting DPP Julian Prevost was not in office when the SUN contacted his chambers; however, his staff seemed to be perplexed.

"I can't assist you at this time on this matter, please see Mr. Prevost," a staff member told the Sun.

The St. Joseph police are also unaware of the situation.

"How can an incident which happened in the St. Joseph district and an arrest made not brought to the attention of the officers in that area," a police officer said.

In an effort to reach the police administration for comment, the Sun made several calls to the police public relations officer but up to press time he has not returned our reporter's calls. However, Deputy Police Chief Hobbs JnoBaptiste said he was unaware of the issue and only heard of Armour's arrest on the radio.

On December 1, 2012, Schulman, 22, was visiting Dominica with friends and was bathing in the sea when she was struck by the propeller of a boat captained by Andrew Armour.

She sustained injuries to parts of her body, including her head, and was pronounced dead when she was taken to the Princess Margaret Hospital.

Dominican authorities have been under pressure from lawyers representing Schulman's family. The Sun reported last month that the family was seeking justice. In April, they wrote a strongly worded letter to police Chief Daniel Carbon and DPP Gene Pestaina asking about Armour's arrest for the alleged offence.