The Director of Public Prosecutions, Sherma Dalrymple, has discontinued the obstruction charge against United Workers' Party political leader Dr Thomson Fontaine, bringing to an end a criminal case that began after an opposition public meeting in Roseau on February 7, 2017.
The decision closes a matter that had remained before the courts for nine years. The charge of obstruction arose from events connected to that public meeting in the capital, and its discontinuation means Dr Fontaine no longer faces prosecution on that count.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is responsible for the conduct of criminal prosecutions in the Commonwealth of Dominica. A discontinuation is a formal decision by the DPP to bring proceedings to an end, and it removes the matter from the list of active cases.
Dr Fontaine leads the United Workers' Party, one of the main political parties in Dominica. The case dates back to a period of active opposition public meetings in Roseau, and it has been before the courts for nearly a decade.
The discontinuation was confirmed in a report on the matter. No further details of the DPP's reasons were provided in the source material, and the charge has now been dropped.
The ending of the case removes a long-standing legal matter involving a sitting political leader. It comes as the country continues its normal political and parliamentary life, with the House of Assembly and the Government conducting business in Roseau.
For Dr Fontaine and the United Workers' Party, the discontinuation settles a matter that had been outstanding since 2017. The party has not issued a statement in the source material, and no date has been given for any further comment.
The case had been listed among criminal proceedings connected to the February 2017 public meeting. With the obstruction charge discontinued, that particular matter is now concluded.
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions acts independently in deciding whether to continue or discontinue criminal proceedings. Its decisions are based on the evidence and the public interest, and they are communicated through the courts and official channels.
Dominica's courts continue to handle a range of matters, and the discontinuation of this charge is a routine though significant step in the life of the case. The public record now shows the obstruction charge against Dr Thomson Fontaine as discontinued.
The United Workers' Party remains an active opposition force in Dominica, and its leader continues in that role. The ending of the case allows the party and its leader to put the 2017 matter behind them as they take part in national political debate.
No further court dates on this charge are expected, and the file is now closed. The decision by the DPP brings a nine-year chapter to an end.
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