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Roseau, Dominica – February 16, 2024

In a significant turn of events, former Prime Minister of Dominica, Edison James, has been ordered to prison by Magistrate Michael Laudat on Friday. The decision comes as the trial progresses into an incitement case involving senior members of the main opposition United Workers Party (UWP).

Edison James, aged 80, served as the prime minister of Dominica from 1995 to 2000, and his involvement in the alleged incitement case has become a focal point in the legal proceedings. The case also implicates former opposition leader Lennox Linton and the current UWP leader, Dr. Thomson Fontaine.

The former Prime Minister was directed to be committed to prison after Magistrate Laudat’s ruling, which deemed it necessary for the ongoing trial. Edison James was subsequently placed in a holding cell at the magistrate’s court in Roseau.

The charges against James specifically relate to an incident on February 7, 2017. It is alleged that he was involved in incitement by encouraging, persuading, or instigating through words, causing individuals to jeopardize safety or endanger public peace. The accusations stem from a UWP meeting during which calls were made for the resignation of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.

The incitement trial has raised political tensions in Dominica, with the legal proceedings drawing attention to the dynamics within the United Workers Party. The involvement of a former prime minister adds a historical dimension to the case, bringing heightened scrutiny to the allegations at hand.

As Edison James faces the legal consequences of the incitement charges, the trial’s outcome is awaited with keen interest, not only in legal circles but also within the political landscape of Dominica. The imprisonment of a former prime minister underscores the gravity of the charges and highlights the complexities surrounding political discourse and activism in the Caribbean nation. TimesCaribbeanOnline will continue to provide updates on this developing story.