Caymanian woman freed of charge of making false declaration

A citizen of Cayman, who lost her job and home after being arrested in Jamaica after photographs resembling her were used on two separate passport applications, says her life has been turned upside down, despite her acquittal on Thursday.

Asseneth Thompson, who came to Jamaica last year December for a family reunion, was freed in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court of two counts of making false declarations.

It's understood that the police went to the home she was staying in Jamaica, showed her the photographs and charged her with making false declarations.

There were reportedly two applications with photographs that bore a slight resemblance to Thompson. One application allegedly had Thompson's signature and the other had a signature of a different name. 

She was granted bail but could not go back to the Cayman Islands until the case was tried.

It was reported that her children are in state care in the Cayman Islands and she has lost her government job and her house because she could not make the mortgage payments.

Attorney-at-law Duke Foote, who was holding for attorney Hugh Wildman, argued that, based on the evidence presented by the handwriting expert, the accused should be freed.

Foote submitted that the document from the expert witness stated that the writings and signatures on the passport application forms were not made by Thompson.

He said further that Thompson came to Jamaica on her British passport and did not apply for a Jamaican passport.

Senior Parish Judge Lori-Ann Cole Montague upheld the submissions and freed Thompson.

-Barbara Gayle

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