16-Year-Old Marigot Kid Remanded In Prison for Murder of Chinese Businessman

A 16-year-old teenager from Marigot has been remanded in prison custody for the murder of a Chinese businessman. The unnamed teen appeared before Magistrate Michael Laudat on Wednesday accompanied by a welfare officer. He was charged for the killing of Zhang Zhaopeng on February 22 and represented by Attorney Gina Abraham-Thomas.

According to police report, Zhaopeng was seen in a viral video with lots of blood from a head injury. The injured businessman was taken to the Dominica-China Friendship Hospital (DCFH) where he died the following day. The Chinese community in Dominica lamented his death and called on the government to fish out his killers for justice to take its course.

Attorney Abraham-Thomas applied to bail the young offender but Magistrate Laudat denied the application. He said a bail for the accused can only be granted at the High Court if the lawyer applied for it. Legal experts weighed in that the offender may be tried in a juveniles court since he is still a minor.

Judge Laudat postponed the case to June 22, 2022 for preliminary hearing and ordered that the accused by remanded in prison.

In a related event, the police are currently on the trail of an assailant who shot 38-year-old Lester Charles of Fond Cole in the head. The incident happened on February 26 in Yampiece and Charles is currently undergoing treatment at the DCFH.

Meanwhile, another shooting incident occurred in Roseau on March 2 when a “Noah bus” driver reportedly accosted a man before shooting him in the leg. According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at the popular ACS Supermarket and close to Francis Enterprises along Kingshill bus-stop.

The attacker allegedly came down from his bus and walked up to the victim before shooting him in the foot. Head of the CID, ASP Belgrove Charles confirmed the incident, adding,

I can’t give you anything more on the matter; the person who was shot is now at the Dominica China Friendship Hospital (DCFH) and our officers are also there carrying out investigations into the matter.

Belgrove Charles, Head of the CID

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