By Shanique Richards
St. Kitts Reporter
A soldier from the St. Kitts & Nevis Defense Force was discharged last week after refusing to testify in court. Devon ‘DMX’ Williams appeared in court to testify against four young men who were charged with wounding. However, after taking the witness box, he said that he wished to go no further with the case.
The defense force then dismissed the soldier for not testifying without reason as he was found to be in breach of military code and conduct. Society had mixed feelings over the matter with some folk approving of the army’s action and some not.
The Observer went to the streets to establish how the public felt about the issue.
Eddy, Saddlers – They should not have fired the soldier because maybe he did not testify out of fear. Nobody can say what caused him to take those actions because he did not give the court a reason. I thought what they did was wrong because I have heard of a lot of soldiers being in similar positions and they were not discharged. They should have given him break.
Skef, Lime Kiln Project – I don’t think that he should have been dismissed because nowadays the police are not capable of protecting people and I would not take a chance because I have a daughter and if I know they cannot protect me then I would prefer to resign because the pay is not that good and by the way the defense force is not even a permanent status. It’s not to say that it is a regular job that he would be losing. I think it is a greater good rather than to get killed.
C.K Hicks, Bakers Corner – I find that someone who is a part of national security as a soldier deciding to drop the case is unusual. They were right to reprimand him. I think a soldier is responsible for upholding the law and after what he did it proves that he has no character and lack of respect for his position. What the soldier did was absolutely wrong no matter what was the reason behind it.
How can normal citizens feel safe if a soldier with so many resources can refuse to testify in a situation like that? He did not care about his job but unfortunately it now leaves the ordinary man to wonder if they are protected.
Sylvester “Syl” Huggins, Market Street – My opinion is that they had a right to dismiss him because if you have a case, especially one involving a situation where society was threatened by what happened then it needed to be justified. I think that he needed to give the court a reason why he could not move forward anymore whether publicly or privately. I think they had all rights to dismiss him.
Keisha, City Drug Store – I think that the soldier should not have been dismissed from the defense force because the stabbing incident took place before he was a member of the force and the case was two years ago. I mean, to see that he had moved forward with his life and decided to put the worse behind and then for him to be punished for it is unfair.
I think that just like how the defendant has a right to remain silent and not give a testimony in court, then the virtual complainant should have the same right because they should not be victimized again or penalized for not giving testimony.
