News Briefs

Bail extended for UIC's Patterson, co-accused

President of the United Independents' Congress, Joseph Patterson, and his co-accused had their bail extended when they appeared before Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday.

They are to return to court on February 28 next year.

Kevaugh Harris, David Thompson, and Abbey Gayle Thompson are jointly charged with Patterson for breaches of the Disaster Risk Management Act, as well as failing to disperse from a public march, taking part in a public march, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

Patterson, who is the leader of Jamaica's third registered political party, is also charged with breaching the Public Order Act after he allegedly spearheaded a protest against the Government's COVID-19 vaccination programme in downtown Kingston on September 22.

The accused are represented by attorney Hugh Wildman.

Wildman told the court that the constitutional challenge by his clients was still awaiting a decision in the Supreme Court and so he requested another mention date.

Stop order on Alliance Chins

A stop order has been imposed by the court on Peter Chin and Robert Chin, the principals of Alliance Investment Management Limited (AIML) and Alliance Financial Limited (AFL).

The men and the companies are facing a raft of charges for alleged breaches of the Bank of Jamaica Act, the Banking Services Act, and the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The travel restriction was imposed by Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole-Montague in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday.

The accused are each out on $1 million bail.

They are to return to court on Friday, December 17.

Their attorney, Tom Tavares-Finson, said that a plea may be entered on that occasion.

AFL and Peter Chin were charged with carrying on the business of lending foreign currency without being an authorised dealer in relation to more than 20 foreign currency loans, totalling approximately US$8 million, to various entities.

Additionally, AIM was charged with failure to file threshold transaction reports as mandated under the Proceeds of Crime Act for transactions of, or exceeding, US$15,000 (or its equivalent in any other currency) to the Financial Investigations Division.

The BOJ has suspended AFL's authorisations to operate cambio and remittance businesses and to operate in the BOJ Fintech Regulatory Sandbox.