Magistrate Sabina Gibbs under fire for granting bail to man…

Grenada police are up in arms over the decision of a Magistrate to grant bail today to a man who was caught on Saturday in St Patrick with five illegal guns.

One senior police officer who called THE NEW TODAY described the development “as real madness in Grenada.”

“It’s sad. Imagine a man was caught with five guns at his home and a Magistrate granted him bail … not even a remand in Prison for a short while before entertaining the talk about bail,” he said.

“That is going to frustrate the police,” said another top flight police officer who did not want to be identified.

According to the police officer, this kind of decision by Magistrate Sabina Gibbs will only help to ensure that “the gun violence will continue and even get worse” in the country as the action amounts to a mere slap on the wrist of someone engaged in criminal activities.

The suspect has been identified as 34-year old Eyssen Joseph of River Sallee in the St Patrick East constituency.

The police officer noted that several persons have been caught in the past engaged in “lesser crimes” and end up on remand at the Richmond Hill prison but the Magistrate allowed the suspect to leave her court without using the opportunity to send him to prison to send a strong signal to others in possession of illegal firearms in the country.

THE NEW TODAY understands that attorney-at-law Peter David, a current Member of Parliament in Grenada, is representing the suspect.

Law enforcement officers on the island have been battling with a recent upsurge in gun-related shootings on the island.

Last week, one individual was shot at the Vendor’s Market at Grand Anse by a masked gunman.

In September,  Vincentian alleged drug lord Dexter Chance who was living in the south of the island was gunned down in Woburn in what appeared to be a hit by foreign gunmen.

On Carnival Monday, two professional masked gunmen from neighbouring Trinidad executed 30-year old Delvon Thomas at Egmont.

Meanwhile, police have confirmed that two bandits believed to be a male and female held up a bread van Monday night in the Golf Course area.

Police investigations are continuing into the robbery.