‘Please consider deportation’ for Sofia– pleads Valerie Stephens-Gordon
Sofia was later charged with theft, false accounting and concealing and transferring proceeds of a criminal nature. He pleaded guilty to all the charges against him.
In her mitigation argument, Stephens-Gordon said that other than that period where she said something “possessed” her client, there had been no indication of any wrong doing from 2009 to 2015 as an employee of Island Services Limited.
Stephens-Gordon asked for leniency in sentencing as her client did not commit the offences of false accounting and transferring proceeds of the crime to the Philippines over a sustained period but over a brief period of six weeks beginning April 1, 2015 and ending May 15, 2015.
The Magistrate ordered that restitution be made in the amount of $24,975.37 and that a quantity of jewellery said to be acquired through the proceeds of crime be forfeited to the state.
“He indicated a desire to pay back the funds in full. His parents did the transfer of funds in full totalling $24,975.37 to cover the money taken from Island Services. We are asking the court to take this into consideration when sentencing. He understands that it is a very serious offence... a serious breach of trust and he deeply regrets breaching the trust that Ms [Nelda] Farrington placed in him by committing the acts,” she said.
Attorney Stephens-Gordon said Sofia’s guilty plea is a genuine one and as such she asked for the 1/3 credit be applied in sentencing and that this should be applied not to the maximum sentence possible for such crimes.
“I am asking the court to consider time spent [since] he has been incarcerated since July 2, 2015. We are asking the court not to impose a sentence that will be a strain on the public purse,” pleaded Stephens-Gordon.
“We can afford it,” quipped Prosecuting attorney Garcia Kirt Kelly.
Stephens-Gordon then asked the court to consider a sentence which includes deportation for Sofia.
“He has asked me to apologise to Mrs Farrington and to the people of the community as he said he had brought great shame to the people of the Filipino community. His work was of great value until something clearly possessed him,” she said.
Stephens-Gordon also asked the court to consider it being the season of goodwill towards men and to act accordingly.
Rommel Sofia is to return to court on December 10, 2015 at 9:00 AM for sentencing.
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15 Responses to “‘Please consider deportation’ for Sofia– pleads Valerie Stephens-Gordon”
Unless we free ourselves from the Kingdom of Darkness, he will always possess us. We need the Almighty God's help to do so as we cannot free ourselves in our own strength.
At least his conscience and heart is still sensitive for he has said he has brought great shame upon his people here in BVI. Some people hearts harder than rocks or have no hearts at all...these kind are arrogant.
Yea & that "possession" is called GREED point blank. He fully aware of what he was doing & knew it was wrong but guess what he went ahead and did it for his own personal gain. Ya'll lawyers does kill me dead with your arguments, I swear ya'll does come up with some stuff the judge himself/herself probably does be scratching their heads behind closed doors
He is pay back in full. And is cool.
Free the man. He played.
Thought
Many has stole on their jobs before. And nerve been caught.
Staff knew and stay silent.
When some of us were little. We stole our baby brother milk,sugar,took kids pencil ect
Who took us balo ? Hmm
Talk speak your mind
May God have mercy on us all.
yes deport he r@$$ Liat is ready for take off