Judge dismisses case against John and Charles, but attorney says this is no vindication and DPP must pursue justice

Members of the public are already reacting with anger and disgust
to a decision by High Court Justice Tunde Bakre to throw out the
case involving suspended Superintendent of Police Ray John and
Shakema Charles, his co-accused.

The judge’s decision had been expected on March 8; however, he
called up the matter today, Tuesday, March 5.

Now, while reports say the acting director of public prosecutions
(DPP) intends to continue the matter in a trial by jury, court
watchers say they will be watching to see whether “undue political
pressure will be brought to bear” on her to discontinue the case.
 
John’s and Charles’ attorneys, Hugh Marshall, Jr. and Michael
Archibald, respectively, had made a submission before the court last
week on the grounds that the judge had no jurisdiction to hear two
of the indictments.

An attorney tells REAL News that this, indeed, was the case.
Accordingly, without the defendants’ consent to proceed with the
judge-alone trial on these indictments, Justice Bakre’s hands are
tied.

“This is no vindication of Ray John,” a seasoned attorney explains.
What the DPP can do, now, he says, is separate the indictments and
re-file the charges. He states that this is too important a matter –
with international implications – to be ignored and justice must be
pursued.

“Whether she will be allowed to do that,” he adds, “is another
matter.”

Last week, on the same day the attorneys filed this latest
submission, Justice Bakre returned with a decision to dismiss a nolle
pros application the defense had filed earlier.

John and Charles had faced fraud and larceny charges in relation to
the creation of fake Antigua and Barbuda passports in St. Vincent,
John’s home country.