Antigua’s fraud-accused Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Armstrong has been taken back into custody in Jamaica and his matter transferred to the Home Circuit Court.
The matter against Armstrong’s co-accused Shelly-Ann Peart Campbell was also transferred and her bail revoked.
The development, which was slammed by Armstrong’s defence team, follows a ‘nolle prosequi’ entered yesterday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for the charges to be discontinued and the matter commenced in the high court on a voluntary bill of indictment, according to the Jamaica Gleaner.
Armstrong was arrested upon arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport last November and subsequently slapped with conspiracy and fraudulent conversion charges.
The charges stem from the sale of three properties 18 years ago in Jamaica, in which Armstrong represented the complainant who was the vendor.
The complainant had also reported Armstrong to Jamaica’s General Legal Council (GLC).
In February, the Council found that Armstrong was guilty of professional misconduct for signing a document for a client who was not present.
Yesterday, Armstrong’s lawyer Hugh Wildman said his team had only been notified about the developments on Wednesday night and that his client would now be inconvenienced and embarrassed by being re-arrested as his surety was unavailable.
He also accused the prosecutor of depriving Armstrong of his right to have the parish judge determine whether there is a prima facie case against him.
Armstrong maintains that he is not guilty of the charges because the proceeds of the sales were paid over to the complainant’s father, who he had authorised to be his agent while he was incarcerated in the United States.
He also claims he did not know Adams was in prison when the sales went through and was merely helping out Adams’ relatives by carrying out the legalities on a pro bono basis.
Antigua and Barbuda’s Prime Minister Gaston Browne previously confirmed that Armstrong would not return to the high-ranking legal post. Shannon Jones-Gittens – a senior crown counsel for more than 12 years – was appointed Acting DPP in early November.
