Armstrong’s defense cries foul, questioning the actions of DPP

The defense team representing fraud-accused DPP Anthony Armstrong is expected to make a decision soon on whether they will challenge a decision by the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) in Jamaica, to transfer him to the Home Circuit Court.

The lead defense attorney Hugh Wildman, said he believes that the ODPP was wrong in principle to have transferred the matter. Wildman told Jamaica Gleaner that Armstrong’s legal team is considering taking the matter for a judicial review.

“Judicial review proceedings are now developed, where the exercise of the powers of the DPP are subject to judicial review, and I’m quite sure this is one occasion where it could be … .He has a legitimate expectation that he will be afforded the protection of a committal proceeding law, and he’s been deprived of that. So we think that this is justifiable action, if we choose to go that route, to challenge by way of judicial review,” Wildman told reporters in Kingston.

He said, “there was no need for this. If the DPP’s office thinks that the clerk cannot manage the submission, let her come up here and respond to it, let the Crown counsel come and respond to it or ask for a new date. But you don’t do that you take this draconian step of sending it down to the Supreme Court,”

In November last year, Armstrong was arrested and slapped with several fraud-related charges. It is alleged that the Antiguan DPP sold three properties belonging to a former client without permission some 18 years ago.

Last week, the case against Armstrong and his co-accused, Shelly-Ann Peart Campbell, who is the cousin of the complainant, was then transferred and their bail was revoked but their bail was reinstated when they appeared in the high court.

Armstrong was offered $500,000 bail and Peart Campbell, $300,000. They are to return to court on March 22.