Ruel Reid again attempts to have corruption charges against him dropped
Mentioned
Analysis
The article centers on corruption-related criminal charges involving former Education Minister Ruel Reid and co-accused, including allegations under Jamaica's Corruption Prevention Act and Proceeds of Crime Act. It also describes court proceedings related to those charges.
Full Article
A second attempt to have the corruption-related charges against former Education Minister Ruel Reid and his co-accused dropped fell flat in the Kingston and Parish Court on Thursday (Jan 23).
Attorney Hugh Wildman argued for the charges to be dropped on the grounds that the accused were not properly before the court because the Financial Investigation Division did not have the authority to charge them.
However, Chief Parish Judge Chester Crooks told Wildman to put his submissions in writing.
Wildman made a similar application before the Supreme Court last year but was unsuccessful.
Also in the parish court on Thursday, Crooks varied the reporting conditions of Reid and Fritz Pinnock, the Caribbean Maritime University President. They are to report to the police only one day a week instead of two.
The other accused in the matter are Reid’s wife Sharen their daughter Sharelle and Jamaica Labour Party Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence (Brown’s Town Division, St Ann). The five were charged last October for breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act, conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law and breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
They are to return to court on April 8.
Related Articles
Fraud trial against Ruel Reid, Fritz Pinnock and co-accused pushed back to tomorrow
The long-awaited multimillion-dollar fraud case against former Education Minister Ruel Reid and his co-accused, which was slated to begin this morning, will now commence tomorrow in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court. One witness is expected to take the stand, likely in the afternoon, following preliminary submissions from both the prosecution and the defence.…
Ruel Reid and co-accused to go on trial on October 6
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The multimillion-dollar fraud trial of former Education Minister Ruel Reid, former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock and their three co-accused Sharen Reid, Sharelle Reid and JLP councillor Kim Brown Lawrence will begin on October 6, a source close to the trial has confirmed. It had been ruled in 2023, after a judicial review, that the five accused were to face criminal trial.…
First witness in Ruel Reid and co-accused fraud trial to take stand on Thursday
The first witness is to take the stand on Thursday in the multimillion-dollar fraud trial involving former Education Minister Ruel Reid and others, after the presiding judge granted the order for indictment and denied the defence’s application for a further adjournment. Defence attorney Hugh Wildman had objected to the indictment order, arguing last Wednesday that statements collected by the Financial Investigation Division (FID) or by police officers acting under the FID’s direction were obtained illegally and therefore could not support the indictment necessary for the case to proceed.…
Ruel Reid, co-accused fraud trial now ready to go
AFTER a forced delay on Monday because of the absence of Senior Parish Judge Vaughn Facey, the trial of former Education Minister Ruel Reid, former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) President Fritz Pinnock, and their three co-accused will return to court today as their multimillion-dollar fraud trial gets underway. With a stand-in judge presiding, Monday was not wasted as administrative matters were addressed to allow the trial to begin smoothly today.…