A total of $2200 in fines was handed out to six persons who failed to comply with the country’s mandatory 11pm -5am curfew over the weekend.
On Friday night into the early hours of Saturday morning over 50 residents were stopped by officers from the Curfew Compliance Unit while they attempted to rush home during the curfew.
The violators who did not have a satisfactory reason for being on the road or any authorization were apprehended and charged.
Today, seven of those individuals who were caught on American Road between 11:05pmn and 12:45am appeared in the St. John’s Magistrates’ Court before Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh.
A woman by the name of Stacey Chambers of Independence Drive initially denied the charge telling the court that she was stuck on American Road from 10:43pm because of the police stop and search operation.
However, she decided to change her plea and was fined $300 with a default of 1 month in prison.
Erol Henry of Bathlodge claimed that his girlfriend forgot her medication in his vehicle and he was forced to leave home at around 10:45pm to take it for her with the intention of staying there when the curfew stuck upon him. But according to him, he was stopped by police before he got to her.
He was fined $200 with a default of 1-month imprisonment.
Amis Pennyfeather of Skerrits Pasture then told the Magistrate that he left his home in an attempt to purchase food for a woman who was depressed having been recently robbed. He too was asked to pay $200 with the same default jail time as Henry.
The fourth defendant, Ibrahim Alkhoury of Radio Range, on the other hand, was ordered to pay $500 or spend 3 months in jail since his excuse for violating the curfew was because he worked at a restaurant in St. John’s which closes at 10:45. He claimed that he also had to drop a coworker home.
Similarly, Jayson Browne of Independence Drive now owes the state $500(or 3 months imprisonment in default) because he could not provide a valid reason for being on the road.
And just like him, Corey Richards of Buckleys was fined $500 after changing his plea to guilty. Both of them merely stated that they were stuck in the line of traffic on American Road.
The seventh defendant, Bryan Phillip of American Road was allowed to walk free as he explained that he provides an essential service to the country but is yet to receive the pass he requested. Phillip told the court that the officers even followed him to his job site on the night in question but still charged him.
The other persons who were charged with the offense are set to appear in court on Tuesday.
Several have also received tickets for not wearing facemasks.
The government declared a state of emergency on March 27 and subsequently established a curfew and other laws to mitigate against a rapid spread of the coronavirus.
For the fourth consecutive time since then, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda declared a national state of emergency.
Thus, residents are required to abide by regulations and restrictions established under the measure until the end of the year.
