Ray John Case committed for trial again

The case involving suspended Superintendent Ray John and his co-accused, Shakema Charles has sent up to the High Court for trial for the second time.

This is because Magistrate Dexter Wason dismissed no case submissions made by their lawyers in the Magistrates’ Court and declared yesterday that they must answer to the charges.

Lawyers for John and his former partner Charles were doing everything possible to prevent a conviction for passport fraud.

Their attorneys had filed submissions to have the case dismissed or tried in the Magistrates’ Court rather than the High Court.

The two, charged in connection with a major passport scam, were previously cleared of all criminal charges in March when Justice Tunde Bakre dismissed the charges, ruling that the law does not permit conspiracy to be tried by a judge alone.

However, their victory was short-lived as they were recharged and brought back to the St. John’s Magistrate’s Court to restart the legal process.

John and Charles are again jointly accused of conspiring with Vincentian resident Lonzel Jones to create fake passport bio pages using unauthorized Multi-Layered Infilling Sheets.

Yesterday, the evidence that could be used in trial against the duo were submitted and the case has been committed to the May assizes.