John and Charles back in court today to face charges related to new trial for alleged passport scam

Suspended Superintendent of Police Ray John and his former
partner and co-accused, Shakema Charles, were expected back in
court on Monday, April 15, for their committal proceedings before
Magistrate Conliffe Clarke.

John and Charles have been re-charged in connection with an
alleged scam involving the use of official bio pages of the Antigua
and Barbuda passport.

When they reappear in court, Magistrate Clarke will make a
determination as to whether there is sufficient evidence to send the
matter back to the High Court for trial.

John and Charles had been on trial – by judge alone – from January
17 until sometime in early March this year, when they were
discharged by High Court Judge Tunde Bakre.

Justice Bakre, following submissions by the pair’s attorneys, agreed
that he had no jurisdiction to hear at least one of the indictments
without the presence of a jury.

Therefore the case, in which 19 witnesses had testified on behalf of
the prosecution, could not proceed; and instead of John and Charles
being put on the defence, they were discharged.

However, shortly after, the duo was recharged, and they now face
charges of conspiracy to forge passport bio pages using
unauthorised Multi-Layered Infilling Sheets, while the suspended
policeman was slapped with two additional charges of receiving said
sheets.

John and Charles are on bail in the sum of $50,000 each, granted by
Magistrate Conliffe Clarke.

When they were taken back before the court, John was required to
pay a cash deposit of $4,500, while Charles had to deposit $2,000
with the court.

The alleged Antigua and Barbuda passport scam was unearthed in
St. Vincent, John’s country of birth, in 2018.

The alleged offences are said to have taken place between October 1,
2014 and April 6 2018.