No decision yet on retrial of John and Charles; Magistrate adjourns passport matter to June 27

Magistrate Conliffe Clarke apparently is yet to determine whether the
evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient to have suspended
Superintendent of Police Ray John and his co-accused, Shakema Charles,
sent back to the High Court for trial.

John and Charles appeared in the St. John’s Magistrates Court on Monday,
April 15, when their committal proceedings were expected to take place.
However, the matter was further adjourned to June 27, when Clarke is
expected to give his decision on whether the case proceeds to the higher
court.

John and Charles, who are out on $50,000 bail, were recently re-charged in
connection with an apparent scam that involves the bio pages of the
Antigua and Barbuda passport.

The duo underwent a lengthy trial, running from January 17 to early March,
when their lawyers made a submission that High Court Justice Tunde
Bakre did not have the jurisdiction to hear at least of the indictments.
Justice Bakre agreed and discharged both accused – who were recharged
shortly after.

The alleged scam was uncovered in St. Vincent by police officers, in 2018.
John was born in that country and still has relatives there. It is alleged that
he was colluding with his nephew in the illegal act of forging the bio pages
of Antigua and Barbuda passports.