Attorney Hugh Wildman says the fraud charges against his client, Antigua’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Anthony Armstrong, are “sinister”.
Armstrong was slapped with additional charges Thursday morning when he appeared before the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court.
The new charges are three counts of forgery and uttering forged documents to go along with the initial charges of fraud and fraudulent conversion.
Armstrong is to reappear in court on November 16.
Robian Williams has the details.
The new charges are in connection to the instruments of transfer for three properties 18 years ago. Wildman is convinced that the prosecution is deliberately attempting to make life difficult for his client.
He says the investigating officer told the court on Monday that the file was complete. The well known attorney the investigating officer must have dreamt about laying the additional charges.
Wildman has a theory as to why the additional charges were against his client.
Parish Judge Venise Blackstock Murray questioned the Crown, about the new charges. The court clerk noted that a proper review of the files were done.
On the next court date, Wildman says he’ll be making submissions to have the charges dismissed. He says he’ll also make submissions to have the matter remain at the Parish Court level, in the event he fails to have it dismissed.
He’s of the view that the charges constitute an abuse of process.
Documents were served on the defence in court today. But Wildman described its contents, as a rehash of old information that was already discredited by the General Legal Council, GLC.
Eighteen years ago, Armstrong signed a paper as a witness for a client who was not physically present. He was found guilty of professional misconduct by, the GLC in February of this year. But the complainant in that matter is contesting that Armstrong is also guilty of criminal deception.
Armstrong was arrested at the airport last week Saturday. He was granted bail in the sum of $500,000. His attorney contests that there was no need for his arrest as he came to Jamaica voluntarily to assist with the investigation.
