G2023 | The year in the courts – Cases to watch in 2024

Keith Clarke case

A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in February to determine the validity of the “good-faith certificates” in the Keith Clarke case.

The matter, which has been lagging in the system for over a decade, has seen several legal challenges brought by the accused soldiers as well as Clarke’s family. However, the outcome of the preliminary hearing will determine whether the matter proceeds to trial.

Three Jamaica Defence Force soldiers – Corporal Odel Buckley, Lance Corporal Greg Tinglin, and Private Arnold Henry – were arrested and charged in connection with Clarke’s alleged murder.

The 63-year-old businessman died after being shot 21 times during a midnight raid led by the Jamaican military at his family home in Kirkland Heights, St Andrew, on May 27, 2010. The soldiers had reportedly gone in search of Christopher ‘Dudus’ Coke, the now-convicted Jamaican drug lord who is in a United States prison.

Traffic ticket ruling

The Constitutional Court is to hand down its ruling on January 26 in the claim brought by Maurice Housen, a software engineer who sued the State for alleged breaches of his constitutional rights after he was reportedly issued several alleged illegal traffic tickets over 15 years.

Housen contended that at the time the tickets were issued, fines or fixed penalties for traffic offences under the 1938 Road Traffic Act (RTA) had not been increased by the legislature or the minister of transport as mandated in Section 116 of the RTA. Instead, the fines were purportedly increased by then Finance Minister Dr Omar Davies in 2006 and 2007 as if they were taxes or duties under the Provisional Collection of Taxes Act.

Petrojam fraud trial

The trial of the former Petrojam General Manager Floyd Grindley and former board chair Dr Perceval Singh on fraud charges concerning alleged fraudulent claims for overseas travel allowances amounting to more than US$70,000 is to continue this month.

Some witnesses in the ongoing fraud trial are expected to be recalled for questioning by the defence, following an amendment to the indictment.

Second murder trial for Beachy Stout

A January trial was scheduled for Portland businessman Everton ‘Beachy Stout’ McDonald in the 2009 murder of his first wife, Merlene.

She was gunned down at her gate outside her home at Boundbrook Avenue in Portland.

McDonald is currently on trial for the alleged murder of his second wife, Tonia.

CMU fraud case

Former Education Minister Ruel Reid, former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock and their three co-accused in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court implicated in a multimillion-dollar fraud case, which is still at the mention stage in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, is scheduled to continue this month.

The men, along with Reid’s wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle, and Jamaica Labour Party Councillor for the Brown’s Town division Kim Brown Lawrence, have been charged with a range of offences, including breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law, and breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act for the fraud allegedly committed at the university.

Kartel’s appeal

Incarcerated dancehall artiste Adidja ‘Vybz Kartel’ Palmer is set to have his highly anticipated appeal case heard before the UK-based Privy Council on February 14.

Kartel was sentenced in April 2014 to life imprisonment for the murder of his associate Clive ‘Lizard’ Williams.

He will be considered for parole once he has served a minimum of 35 years in prison.

Kartel’s co-convicts Shawn‘ Shawn Storm’ Campbell, Kahira Jones and Andre St John will also have their matter heard in the Privy Council.

Collymore murder case

A February 24 trial date was fixed for Omar ‘Best’ Collymore, who allegedly arranged the murder of his wife, Simone Campbell-Collymore, and her taxi driver five years ago.

He is to be tried with four co-defendants, Michael Adams, Dewayne Pink, Shaquile Edwards, and Carey Jonas.

All are currently in custody.

Sagicor fraud case

Alicia Moulton White, the former vice-president of group marketing at Sagicor; her sister, Tricia Moulton, the bank’s former Liguanea branch manager; Malika McLeod, a personal banker; and Tishan Samuels, a client care officer, remain before the courts in connection with a suspected multimillion-dollar fraud.

They are to make another appearance in Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on March 27 for a plea and case management hearing.

The funds were allegedly swindled from the accounts of clients between August and October 2022 at the Liguanea branch.

Moulton White was implicated in $661,000, which was reportedly deposited into her account.

The accused are all on bail.

Pathways Int’l murder case

A November trial date has been scheduled for Andre Ruddock, who reportedly slashed the throat of a woman during an alleged church ritual in St James nearly two years ago.

The victim, Taneka Gardner, 39, was killed during an alleged sacrificial ritual at Pathways International Kingdom Restoration Ministries in St James led by Kevin Smith.

Smith died days later in a motor vehicle accident.