Not even the ‘lock and key of the prison cell could prevent a young female inmate from advancing herself academically.
The girl who in 2016 became the youngest person to be charged, convicted and jailed for murder in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was among those who performed well in this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.
According to Minister of Education St Clair ‘Jimmy’ Prince as he addressed last week Thursday’s sitting of the House of Assembly, the girl passed seven of the nine subjects for which she was entered.
The Minister made no reference to the incident which had resulted in the girl’s incarceration, save and except to say, “one student who got a second chance is currently at Her Majesty’s Prisons going through an amazing period of rehabilitation and she had passed seven out of nine subjects she sat.”
Investigations, following on the Minister’s reference, sought confirmation from prison officials, with respect to the incident and sentencing.
As we had deduced, the incident of interest occurred in 2015 when 15-year-old Moesha Primus was fatally stabbed by the accused, who was 12 years old at the time and a Grade 6 student at the Lowman’s Leeward Anglican Primary School.
The accused had, in fact, recently completed the CPEA examinations for entry into secondary school.
However, her day in a secondary school never came as she was found guilty and sentenced to 12 years in prison, in December 2016.
Having pleaded guilty to the charge, her sentence was reduced to a maximum of 6 years.
Under the terms of her sentencing, she was not to be kept among the general population, and she was to be accorded tupport so she could continue her education.
Up to the time of her sentencing hearing, then Acting Chief Education Officer Beverly Neptune had indicated to the court that the girl had completed her Form 1 schooling and was about to enter second form.
The Ministry of Education was ordered to provide the court with reports on the girl’s progress (education), while the prison authorities was to provide the court with reports on her conduct.
The young lady is now a student of the SVGCC
Source :The Vincentian
3 Comments
So she took another girl life and still get a chance to live out hers. And even worst she’s been lorded for accomplishment the victim were never able to get. I don’t like this system. It needs to be revised
Please remember they no longer do jail where its about lock up and corpral punishment today it’s prison where they focus on rehabilitation. It may look like the deceased and her family was placed at a disadvantage but won’t it do more good if the convicted young lady does something with her life and be a motivation to others who may be on a path leading to where it led to her being incarcerated. Please look at the bigger picture. I applaud the court system and the prison and also the ministry of education.
Cazz I totally enter into your feelings on this. However this is where forgiveness comes in. Revise the system might mean what, killing her to because she killed someone? It’s a tough situation all around, one that only the victim’s family and the young lady’s family can tell us about. Bless