Delon Victorine, a 30-year-old resident of Mahaut, has been remanded into custody at the Dominica State Prison following his appearance before the St. Joseph Magistrate’s Court on a charge of attempted murder. The charge stems from a February 25, 2025, shooting incident in the Borne Repo area of Campbell, which left two men injured.
According to police reports, the victims, Meshach Esprit and Ethan Jno Baptiste, both of Campbell, sustained gunshot wounds during the nighttime incident, which occurred at approximately 8:45 p.m. One of the men remains hospitalized at the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital, recovering from serious injuries.
Victorine was formally charged following a police investigation and was brought before the magistrate this week. As the matter is an indictable offence, he was not required to enter a plea, and the case will proceed to a preliminary inquiry scheduled for August 19, 2025. At that hearing, the court will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to commit the case to the High Court for trial.
The prosecution objected to bail, citing four key concerns: the firearm allegedly used in the attack has not been recovered, one of the victims remains in hospital, there is a potential risk of witness interference, and releasing the accused would not be in the public interest.
Defense attorney Wayne Norde, appearing on behalf of Victorine, countered that his client had previously been arrested in February, released without charge, and had made no efforts to obstruct or interfere with the investigation. Norde argued that the prosecution’s objections did not align with the provisions of the Bail Act, and emphasized the constitutional principle that every accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
After hearing submissions from both sides, the magistrate opted to deny bail at this stage, indicating that a review would be considered in one month.
Victorine will remain in custody until the next court date, as the case moves closer to a potential full trial in the High Court., indicating that a review would be considered in one month.
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