Former PNP President, Portia Simpson Miller and PNP Chairman, Robert Pickersgill, are to decide this week whether to ask the Privy Council to reverse a judgement by Jamaica’s Appeal Court about the Trafigura corruption hearing.
On Friday, the high ranking PNP members suffered a major blow when the Appeal Court dismissed their application to overturn a Supreme Court ruling that they must testify in public about the scandal.
The attorney for Simpson Miller and Pickersgill, Queen’s Counsel KD Knight, says talks are underway to determine whether a further appeal will be filed at the UK-based Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
[audio_mp3 url=”https://nationwideradiojm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Knight-says-consultations-underway-still-May-26-2017.mp3″]
Mr. Knight says consideration is also being given to what will transpire should his clients decide to abandon the appeal process and give testimony.
[audio_mp3 url=”https://nationwideradiojm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Knight-says-two-levels.mp3″]
Last week, the Appeal Court said it cannot accept arguments by Attorneys for the PNP bigwigs that their clients should not testify in public.
This as Section 20 of the Mutual Assistance Criminal Matters Act, MACMA, is subject to the principle of open court justice.
MACMA is the law under which Dutch Prosecutors want to question the prominent PNP members about the controversial donation which was made to the governing party in 2006.
The Court also said the Jamaican public has a legitimate interest in finding out whether a Jamaican public official was bribed by Trafigura.
Mr. Knight today declined to comment in detail on the judgement.
[audio_mp3 url=”https://nationwideradiojm.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Knight-on-prelim-view.mp3″]
Dutch prosecutors want answers from Simpson Miller, Pickersgill, former Information Minister, Colin Campbell, former Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell and businessman, Norton Hinds.
— 30 —
