Sun | Dec 29, 2024

Judge rules that Ruel Reid-CMU case must go to trial

Published:Thursday | February 4, 2021 | 11:07 AM
(From left) Ruel Reid, his wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle; Brown's Town Division Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence, and CMU president Professor Fritz Pinnock. In making his ruling, the judge said the matter was properly before the court. The matter has been set for mention for a case management hearing on July 27, 2021 - File photo.

Chief Parish Judge Chester Crooks has ruled that former Education Minister Ruel Reid, Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Professor Fritz Pinnock, and their three co-accused have a fraud case to answer and the matter is to proceed to trial.

Crooks made the ruling this morning when the accused appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

The judge, in making the ruling, said the matter was properly before the court.

Defence attorney Hugh Wildman had argued that officers from the Financial Investigation Division had no authority in law to arrest or bring charges against the accused.  

READ: Wildman argues that clients were illegally arrested

READ: FID attorney rejects claim cops unlawfully arrested, charged Reid and Pinnock

Reid, his wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle, Pinnock and Brown’s Town Division Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence are facing corruption charges in relation to the multi-million dollar CMU affair. 

The matter is set for mention for a case management hearing on July 27.

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