By Zaya Williams

After a lapse of more than 5 years, the suspended senior police officer Ray John and his co-accused, Shakema Charles, are set to face trial for their alleged involvement in a passport scam from several years ago.

John, who held the rank of assistant superintendent of police, and Charles, his former partner and an employee of the Antigua and Barbuda Passport Office, are accused of forging passports through the unauthorized use of Multi Layered Infilling Sheets (MLIS) owned by the local passport office.

The alleged offense took place between October 28, 2014, and April 6, 2018.

Initially, John and Charles were charged alongside John’s mother, Yvonne Nickie, but the prosecution dropped the charges against her a few months ago.

The purported passport scam came to light in April 2018 when St Vincent and the Grenadines police intercepted an individual at the airport carrying five bio pages of Antigua and Barbuda passports, along with other items, including a significant amount of cash.

The trial for John and Charles is scheduled to commence on December 12.