Court of Appeal opens

The sitting of the Court of Appeal in Antigua & Barbuda commenced at the Halls of Justice (High Court) yesterday with a special ceremony and will continue hearing appeals for the remainder of this week.
The preliminary list of matters to be heard includes High Court criminal appeals against sentence and conviction; civil appeals; applications and motions; magisterial criminal appeals against conviction; magisterial criminal appeals against sentence; and status hearing.
There are over 45 cases including: Dr Jose Humphreys versus the Antigua & Barbuda Medical Council where the doctor is seeking a stay of execution on a judgment, which would allow him to practice medicine pending his appeal.
Another matter is that of Jesus Junkere who is seeking to get his manslaughter conviction overturned. Junkere had denied murdering Vantoma “Rasgold” Allen, of Greenbay Hill, on February 10, 2009, in Gray’s Farm. The men had an altercation on Central Street, and Allen was shot three times in the face, chest and shoulder. The injured man was rushed to hospital but was pronounced dead shortly after.
Also to be heard is the case of Washington Bramble versus Chief Magistrate Joanne Walsh as the appellant seeks to have his malicious damage charge struck out. Bramble was accused of maliciously damaging the left headlamp of a Nissan pickup C2496, the property of Charles Beck.
There will be a status hearing for the case of the Attorney General versus Southern Developers Limited. The matter is against former prime minister Lester Bird, MP Robin Yearwood, former parliamentarian Hugh Marshall Sr and Southern Developers Limited in relation to a parcel of land sold by the government for an alleged undervalued price of $250,000.
Meanwhile, a status hearing is also scheduled for the case of the former chairman of the Mount St John’s Medical Centre (MSJMC) Board, Milton Pringle against Health Minister Molwyn Joseph over his alleged unlawful termination in June 2014.