By Latrishka Thomas
The fate of suspended Superintendent of Police Ray John’s potential retrial for passport fraud remains uncertain, with a crucial decision expected on October 9.
Magistrate Conliffe Clarke is expected to rule on whether John and his former partner, Shakema Charles, will face a new trial in the High Court or have their case dismissed.
John and Charles, previously accused of conspiring with St Vincent resident Lonzel Jones to forge passport bio pages using unauthorised Multi-Layered Infilling Sheets in 2018, are now facing revised charges.
The new indictment accuses them of conspiracy to forge passport bio pages, with John facing two additional counts of receiving the unauthorised sheets.
Earlier this year, the pair underwent a judge-only trial lasting more than three weeks for the alleged passport fraud.
However, High Court Judge Justice Tunde Bakre acquitted them after agreeing with defence attorneys that he lacked jurisdiction to hear the case without a jury.
In their Magistrates’ Court appearance in June, defence lawyer Hugh Marshall indicated plans to file a submission arguing for the case’s dismissal. Alternatively, the defence is seeking to have the case tried in the Magistrates’ Court rather than the High Court.
The decision, originally scheduled for yesterday, was postponed due to Magistrate Clarke’s absence.
