Tweet
The government's case against businessman Rodney Chin in the ongoing Cuban light bulb saga has formally been dropped.
News surfaced late last year that Mr. Chin had agreed to testify on behalf of the Crown in the matter which also involves former government Minister Kern Spencer and his assistant Colleen Wright.
Following a contentious hearing last week in which the defence team strenuously demanded to know more about the deal which Mr. Chin struck with the government, the matter came up again Wednesday morning in the Half Way Tree Criminal Court.
On Wednesday morning, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn advised the court that she had acceded to the order from Presiding Judge Glen Brown that all relevant information should be released to the Defence Team of Mr. Spencer and Miss Wright.
She then entered a nolle prosequi on behalf of Mr. Chin.
Following Wednesday morning proceedings she told RJR News what this means for the case.
"A nolle prosequi was entered in respect of all the charges involving Mr. Chin which means that we are discontinuing the prosecution in respect of Mr. Chin. The Crown is ready to try the matter and on June 22 we will all go forward to trial," said Ms. Llewellyn.
At that time, Mr. Chin will return to court as a prosecution witness.
"And Mr. Chin was bound over by the Court at the request of the prosecution to return as a witness for the Crown on the 22nd so he was bound over along with the police in the normal course of things,"
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
The trial against Mr. Spencer and Miss Wright failed to get underway on January 16 after defence lawyers cried foul after the prosecution said it was dropping the case against Mr. Chin in exchange for his testimony.
At that time, defence attorneys Patrick Atkinson and K. D. Knight argued that their ignorance of the contents of the statements given to the police late last year by Mr. Chin would deprive them of the benefit of disclosure.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/15042/26/
News surfaced late last year that Mr. Chin had agreed to testify on behalf of the Crown in the matter which also involves former government Minister Kern Spencer and his assistant Colleen Wright.
Following a contentious hearing last week in which the defence team strenuously demanded to know more about the deal which Mr. Chin struck with the government, the matter came up again Wednesday morning in the Half Way Tree Criminal Court.
On Wednesday morning, Director of Public Prosecutions Paula Llewellyn advised the court that she had acceded to the order from Presiding Judge Glen Brown that all relevant information should be released to the Defence Team of Mr. Spencer and Miss Wright.
She then entered a nolle prosequi on behalf of Mr. Chin.
Following Wednesday morning proceedings she told RJR News what this means for the case.
"A nolle prosequi was entered in respect of all the charges involving Mr. Chin which means that we are discontinuing the prosecution in respect of Mr. Chin. The Crown is ready to try the matter and on June 22 we will all go forward to trial," said Ms. Llewellyn.
At that time, Mr. Chin will return to court as a prosecution witness.
"And Mr. Chin was bound over by the Court at the request of the prosecution to return as a witness for the Crown on the 22nd so he was bound over along with the police in the normal course of things,"
The trial is expected to last two weeks.
The trial against Mr. Spencer and Miss Wright failed to get underway on January 16 after defence lawyers cried foul after the prosecution said it was dropping the case against Mr. Chin in exchange for his testimony.
At that time, defence attorneys Patrick Atkinson and K. D. Knight argued that their ignorance of the contents of the statements given to the police late last year by Mr. Chin would deprive them of the benefit of disclosure.
http://www.radiojamaica.com/content/view/15042/26/
Comment