By Latrishka Thomas
A Dominican-born fisherman has been ordered to pay $5,600 to the state of Antigua and Barbuda for stealing a fishing boat.
Jerry Francis was found on a stolen vessel belonging to another fisherman in April 2021.
The boat was stolen from the Perry Bay area and was reported missing by the complainant.
Law enforcement received information which led them to the Carlisle Bay area where the defendant was found onboard the vessel.
He was arrested and later charged with larceny of the boat worth $92,100.
The owner of the boat, upon inspecting it, also noticed that fishing lines and a marine radio were missing.
The boat’s engine was also broken.
Francis who has been in prison since the incident admitted to the charge but claims that he saw the boat drifting out at sea and was trying to return it to shore.
Justice Ann-Marie Smith decided not to imprison him since he has already been in jail for quite some time.
Instead, he was fined $5,600 for the missing items and broken engine.
He has to pay $500 every month beginning at the end of the year or he could spend six months in jail for each missed payment.