Law student to spend 6 mths @ HMP for stealing over $44K
This is because someone who has been convicted of a crime cannot be a practising lawyer, the court heard. Despite this, Joseph said she would still complete her degree and use it to help others in any way she could.
Joseph appeared via Zoom on Monday, November 23, 2020, from a hotel in Road Town for her sentencing that took five years to materialise, because she has been living in the United Kingdom pursuing her legal career, as well as the hurricanes of 2017, among other adjournments.
Prison term
The 35-year-old, who is just months away from completing her law degree, will now spend six months at Her Majesty’s Prison for stealing $44,500 from Earnest Gumbs, a serving police officer at the time of the offence in 2015.
She was also given a six month suspended sentence for the same offence, which would be suspended for one year.
$1,600 fine
Meanwhile, for the offence of operating a business without a trade license, the court fined her $1,600 to be paid by December 22, 2020, or in default, she would spend four months in jail.
Joseph had entered guilty pleas to the two above offences when she appeared before the court some years ago.
Joseph was also slapped with other indictable charges stemming from the same incident. They are obtaining property by deception, forgery and uttering forged documents.
She was not required to enter pleas for them as they are to be tried before a judge and jury.
Circumstances of the case
The court learnt that Gumbs approached Joseph, who was at the time operating a real estate business, to have a piece of land in Johnson’s Ghut sold for $44,500 for him.
For her services, she was paid $5,000.
However, after the property was sold, Joseph reportedly sent a letter to CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank requesting that the cheque for the transaction be written out to her and she would in turn transfer it to Mr Gumbs.
About two months later, without his $44,500 in his account, Gumbs reported the matter to the Royal Virgin Islands Police Force.
The matter was then investigated and Joseph was arrested and charged.
The court heard that Joseph took the cash to pay bills.
'I shouldn’t have done that'
During her plea, Joseph told the court to temper justice with mercy.
“I am literally asking for your mercy,” she said.
She also issued an apology to Mr Gumbs for stealing his money, adding that she has often questioned herself for her actions.
“I shouldn’t have done [that],” she remarked.
Her actions, she said, has affected her family.
Attorney Reynella Rawlins represented her during the criminal proceedings.
Attorney Kael London represented the Crown.
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49 Responses to “Law student to spend 6 mths @ HMP for stealing over $44K”
God blessings to you, and yours, and to those that granted you a measure of Godly mercies.
Once and awhile,street justice is the only solution.
solution.
"This is because someone who has been convicted of a crime cannot be a practising lawyer, the court heard."
Question 2: She stated that she will complete her degree and use it to help others in any way she could. Help others to do what - be a fraudster or not to be a fraudster?
"However, after the property was sold, Joseph reportedly sent a letter to CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank requesting that the cheque for the transaction be written out to her and she would in turn transfer it to Mr Gumbs."
The Devil knows who he can influence - GREED is a bad thing. Some people (not referring to this young lady) though even when caught, continue in the action of their sins - they have no remorse because of a HARDENED and SEARED heart!
People make dumb and stupid mistakes, I did things that I am not proud of today, I learned from it, I also know that damage goods can still receive love too, we are all not perfect, one man's downfall can be another man's uprising.
I'm not a church goer nor a bench warmer, but I hope this young woman pay her debt to society, learn from this, and as Jesus said neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more.
I bet she is from down island, a local Tolian woman would never stole money from anyone, they don't even beg, why these island people fingers always have in crazy glue so? Ah need to take pride in ah yo self and learn to be decent like the local Tolian people.
BVI do not have any form of corruption and BVI nice.
Her designation will be something like;
Shekimah Lettsome Joseph- THF. CRK. 5FINGDIS. LLB
We are all born BVISLANDERS and BVI nice.
She is in quarantine in one of the hotel in tola. I urge the management of this hotel to make sure they collect their money from her now . A nice girl who is going in quarantine in Bali for 6 months.