Dalrymple-Philibert, co-accused return to court today

House Speaker Marissa Dalrymple-Philibert and two co-accused are expected to return to the St Ann Parish Court today when the case of illegal dumping is expected to begin.

Dalrymple-Philibert is also member of parliament for South Trelawny for the ruling Jamaica Labour Party (JLP).

She, her son Giovanni Philibert, and her gardener Simon Sanchez, were jointly charged with breaches of the National Solid Waste Management Authority Act, after they were allegedly caught dumping garbage at the side of the road near Salem in St Ann on August 15.

Persons found guilty of breaching the act may be fined up to $1 million or sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding nine months.

When the case was mentioned in court on December 8 last year, defence attorneys Peter Champagnie and Tom Tavares-Finson argued that their clients should not have been charged, as they complied after being instructed by the police to take up the garbage.

The defence further argued that the accused should have been ticketed for the offence, instead of being hauled before the courts.

Champagnie, speaking with The Gleaner then, expressed optimism that the case may be dismissed.

When Dalrymple-Philibert was charged in August, the JLP said the party was standing behind her.