Court reserves decision in case of HIV positive Jamaican fighting extradition to Canada

The Full Court has reserved decision in the application brought by a Jamaican man challenging his extradition to Canada to answer to sex-related crimes.

Forty-seven-year-old George Flowers is contending that Jamaica does not have a corresponding law with a similar offence for which he is being sought to be extradited to the North American country.

Flowers is wanted in Canada on several counts of aggravated sexual assault.

The offences were committed between 1997 and 2011.

Flowers, who is being represented by attorney-at-law Don Foote, is being accused of having sexual intercourse without disclosing his HIV status.

Complaints have been made by four women including his wife.

It is reported that while the sexual intercourse was consensual the complainants have reportedly indicated that they would not have had sex with Flowers if they had known about his HIV status.

Flowers was ordered extradited by the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate’s Court in August 2014.

He was arrested in Jamaica on June 4 that same year.

Lawyers from the Office of the Director of the Public Prosecutions and the Commissioner of Corrections, who are the defendants, are opposing the application.

Jeremy Taylor, who is representing the Office of the DPP and Althea Jarrett, who is representing the Commissioner of Corrections, are contending that there is corresponding legislation in Jamaica which would allow Flowers to be extradited to Canada to face the charges.

They pointed out that his conduct brought bodily harm to the complainants and such an action falls under the Offences Against the Person Act.