Court: Man In “No Position” To Pay Old Fines
Appearing in Magistrates Court this morning [Jan 16], 37 year old Jamaka Gibbons appeared on a charge relating to an old outstanding warrant for unpaid fines totaling over $450.
Facing Magistrate Khamisi Tokunbo in this morning’s Plea Court, and explaining why the fine had not yet been paid, Mr Gibbons told the Magistrate that he was “in no position to pay”.
He was then told by the Magistrate that the alternative or default position was that he would have to serve thirty days in prison.
The Magistrate then ruled that in default of payment of the outstanding fines on this day, he must serve thirty days in prison commencing today.
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Locking people up for fines, yay! I tell you one thing, if people stopped committing traffic offenses, Government would lose a lot of money! Can they even afford for people to do the right thing? Hmmm…
So he couldn’t borrow the money from family or a friend ?
I’m sorry but he must have something he owns that he could sell to cover this. Or have a source of income or do work for family and friends to cover the debt.
Someone was prepared to go to jail for $450. Why?
Don’t worry. His mom or one of his “girls” will bail him out. (the Magistrate knows this).
Wouldnt the outcome be the same if he dont pay the fine and dont serve jail time…no one would pay their fines after that.
STUPID! absolutely STUPID!
all the magistrate has done is force the Bermudian Taxpayer to fork over a ton of $$’s to keep this man in Prison for a STUPID $450 Fine.
There were many other options open to this magistrate,he could have ordered Community Service for starters which would have benefited Bermudians.
Ok so what is the winning objective? Court needs to make money, locking him up only serves the Gov’t to lose revenue also the money is wiped off the books. So dumb ass judge only helping to make things tighter on Bermudians.
Maven you are dopey. If you don’t lock people up, then you should take all fines off the books. Only idiots would pay them if there is no penalty.
Instead of paying $450 he goes the the Westgate Spa & costs the taxpayer near $7000 for his room & food, maybe even a medical thrown in there.
Whatever happened to community service? There is plenty of trash that needs picking up out of roadside bushes.
According to Bermudians Against the Draft community service constitutes forced labour
Boy you are funny. You think this loser will comply with a CSO?
Morning Bermuda
I thought you would not be locked up for non payment of fines??
Didn’t the Government make that statement?
Maybe his girl would pay. Why did he opt for prison? It’ll cost the tax payers blah blah blah… In stead of making judgements why don’t all of you donate 10$… that’s all 45 of the critics here and election pages. Judgemental bunch or give him a JOB!
Why don’t you give him a job?
Yall are crazy. Do you remember him being in the papers for living in a text a couple years ago? They gave him everything….a job,donated money for his kids ,gave him money he brought a new bike and had two places to live rent free. Its some ppl that just cant be helped. HE SCREWED IT ALL UP. Sorry but he is name man he needs to figure it out without ppl feeling sorry n donating to him. He does not appreciate it.
Sorry typo. Living in a tent
Everyone makes mistakes and some take longer to get it right! He accepted his consequences instead of leaning on someone else to pay it for him and to also keep him from having to reimburse someone else. All the negative commenters need to take a look in the mirror as you have all made mistakes as well.
Let’s see, Man goes to prison for inability to pay $450 debt.Meanwhile, Caesars Entertainment Group will get to restructure its debt to the tune of $25BILLION…..yes folks, no one will go to jail in this case and yes you read it correct, they get to WRITE OFF $25Billion
Greece gets to restructure its debt (nice word restructure)by $138 Billion. Add Argentina and a whole host of other Nations that get to make poor financial decisions and I’m being generous here, and go on to pay pennies on the dollar.
As I type there are hundreds of corporations in the process of negotiating some form of debt restructure which will see investors et al get short changed by vast sums of money.
But so many of you folks are okay with this fella going to jail because he couldn’t pay off a $450 debt.
Really!!
If a money is owed….then a job should be offered within gov. as means to reimberse….. This is an amicable end justfying means……yes?