By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Staff Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
THE Court of Appeal rejected Adrian Gibson’s latest constitutional motion on Friday, paving the way for his corruption trial to begin on Monday.
Justices Jon Isaacs, Maureen Crane-Scott and Milton Evans oversaw Long Island MP Adrian Gibson’s second constitutional motion seeking a permanent stay to his court proceedings.
This comes two weeks after Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson of the Supreme Court determined that the first constitutional motion was improper.
She concluded on July 6 that the voluntary bill of indictment that transferred the matter to the Supreme Court was fair to the defendants.
The defendants had attempted to argue that the court failed to allow them the choice in electing between the Magistrate’s and Supreme Courts to have their trial heard.
In his latest substantive hearing the Court of Appeal dismissed the matter citing that there was no merit to the appeal. A detailed written submission of their decision will be released at a later date.
Since last June, when the defendants were charged, Mr Gibson’s trial has been delayed by numerous legal challenges. In September, Mr Gibson’s attorney, Murrio Ducille, objected to having the matter before Justice Grant-Thomson, arguing her deceased husband’s political alignment with the Progressive Liberal Party prevented her from being impartial. The judge denied his application.
In May, the start of the trial was delayed by a constitutional motion seeking to force a key witness to testify in person. That motion was also rejected.
The initial jury was discharged on June 28 after two members were dismissed for breaching court protocol.
A new jury will sit when Mr Gibson’s trial begins on Monday.
Mr Gibson is accused of enriching himself to over $1m through illicit cheques and wire transfers in connection with contracts the Water and Sewerage Corporation (WSC) awarded while he was executive chairman.
WSC’s former general manager, Elwood Donaldson Jr; Rashae Gibson, Gibson’s cousin; Joan Knowles; Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick were also charged.
Together, the group face 98 charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery, fraud, receiving and money laundering.
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