ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada, Aug. 15, CMC – A 24-year-old unemployed youth who is facing several charges including three counts of non-capital murder, four counts of Firearms related charges as well as causing public terror during the carnival Monday jouvert celebrations could be sentenced to the Richmond Hill prison for decades, based on recent amendments to the Firearms Act.
“Jaleel Anthony Thomas, unemployed of Black Bay, St. John, was charged with three counts of attempted murder, possession of a firearm, possession of a firearm with intent to cause injury, possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm and causing public terror,” said the police in a statement on Thursday, almost 48 hours after the conclusion of the festivities.
The police say the incident that took place at Kirani James Boulevard started with an altercation involving some individuals, resulting in three men being injured.
Section 231 of the 2012 amendment to the criminal code says any person who attempts non-capital murder commits an offence and is liable on conviction on indictment to a term of imprisonment not exceeding twenty years and for causing public terror its a penalty not exceeding 12 months.
Public terror is defined as doing any act in a public place with intent to cause terror to any person.
“Harm shall in this case be deemed to have been caused by the act, although the harm be the mere inward effect of the terror caused by the act,” the criminal code states.
The recent Firearms legislation which went into effect on August 1, prohibits magistrates from granting bail to any person charged under the Firearm Act.
Granting bail for such offenses must be applied to a High Court Judge. The amended legislation also mandates tougher penalties.
Before the amendment, the penalty for possession of a firearm in the magistrate court started at EC$4000 (One Ec dollar=US$0.37 cents) and up to a maximum of EC$20,000 or imprisonment for two to five years.
Now on summary conviction there is no fine which the magistrate can impose. Instead, there is a minimum of ten years in prison or up to 20 years.
On indictment – when you are tried in the High Court, previously there was a fine of EC$20,000 up to EC$60,000 and imprisonment for five to twenty years. The new penalty will be imprisonment with a minimum of 20 years and a maximum of up to 40 years.
In addition to the shootings, the Police statement said there was a notable rise in reported offences this year compared to last year.
“In 2024, there were 37 reported incidents, whereas in 2023, there were 19. This represents an increase of 18 incidents – equivalent to 95%. Property crimes accounted for 51.35% of the total reported incidents, harm offences 32.43% and sexual offences 16.21%,” the statement noted.
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