It has been almost two weeks since his bail was granted yet Eugene St Romaine is still locked up within the walls of the Bordelais Correctional Facility.
On May 31st, 2012 Justice Francis Belle granted St Romaine EC$60,000 bail and referred the criminal case back to the High Court for trial.
St Romaine had been behind bars for more than eight years awaiting trial before being granted bail. According to Human Rights lawyer, Martinus Francois, this was the first time in the history of St Lucia that a man has been held in prison for so long without being convicted. Although Francois expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the hearing, he says he will remain committed to the case until St Romaine is set free. Francois also said he plans to appeal the decision of the court within the next few weeks.
But in a startling turn-around, St Romaine’s mother, Coucilia St Romaine who was too emotional to speak after the court hearing has decided to let the country know how she feels about the outcome of her son’s case.
Previously, St Romaine’s sisters expressed their frustration with the judicial system and the DPP accusing the authorities of not having enough evidence to convict their brother and thus, extending the trial process to accommodate their investigations. Investigations that they say are not forthcoming.
An emotional mother sat with the STAR and expressed her disappointments with the state and government because according to her, justice has not been served for the rape and murder of her granddaughter.
“I am still standing behind my son and I will stand for him until the day I die because I want justice for him and the child. I am the child’s grandmother and if my son is still in prison, this means the child has never gotten justice and the man who committed this crime is still out there. If my son is convicted, my granddaughter will never get justice for what they did to her.
“I want my son to be out of prison and I want the government or the police or whomever to put their facts straight and get the right person so that I can get justice for my granddaughter,” she said before breaking down. Trying to control her breathing and emotions, she continued: “I am still thinking about paying the bail for my son. Getting the money is a hard task and that’s why I said I am still thinking about it because right now, I don’t have it in hand but I am trying my best.
“I really believe in the innocence of my son, I believe he is innocent and I have an idea who did it. He is still roaming the streets as a free man.”
While Ms St Romaine did not wish to comment on the identity of the man she believes is responsible for the death of her granddaughter, she says the evidence collected by the state points elsewhere.
St Romaine says this situation has taken away all monies she had saved up. She says she has spent over $30,000 so far with no assurance of ever getting it back should her son be acquitted.
“This case has been very hard on me because it has washed my hands away. I have been spending all what I have. Emotionally it has been really tough on my family. It has been very, very painful but I believe it is the Lord that is keeping us strong,” she said.
St Romaine took some time to thank the media for their support during what she called a nightmare for her family.
She says the media has never ceased from covering her son’s case and thanked in particular, Andre Paul, Timothy Poleon and Rick Wayne for putting pressure on the authorities.
“I want to say thanks to the media because if it wasn’t for the media maybe nothing would have been done. They have been doing a good job and they never stopped talking about the Eugene St Romaine case.”
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