The Tribune

By Farah Johnson

fjohnson@tribunemedia.net

THE Comptroller of Customs and the Office of Attorney General have agreed to preserve the goods that were seized from Jonathan Ash after he was charged for violating the emergency orders earlier this year.

In April, businessman Jonathan Ash was fined $7,000 for selling alcohol in breach of the national curfew and emergency orders put in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On Friday, the attorneys representing Ash, the Comptroller of Customs and the Office of the Attorney General appeared before Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bowe Darville, after Ash took legal action against the defendants over the preservation of his seized goods.

Still, before the hearing could play out, both parties chose to “take a certain position”. This occurred after they agreed that the goods seized from Ash would be preserved “until the issue was spoken to”.

Tony Scriven, the lawyer representing Ash, told The Tribune that his client still stood on the claim that his goods were illegally seized. Ash was not present during the hearing.

This newspaper also attempted to reach out to David Higgins, one of the lawyers representing the Comptroller of Customs and the Office of the Attorney General, but he declined to comment.

At the time, Ash was arrested after a video went viral on social media showing a liquor store selling alcohol, despite orders being issued to prevent such stores from doing so, as part of the country’s COVID-19 response. In the footage, store staff in the video could be seen wearing masks while taking orders for beer and rum. A marked police car can also be seen parked near the premises.