Four Years On, Cyber Harassment Case Tied to Former Minister Finally Reaches High Court

Two Sea View Farm residents have made their first appearance in the High Court on charges that they sent offensive electronic messages targeting the complainant in the high-profile case against former All Saints West Member of Parliament Michael Browne — a prosecution that ended in acquittal more than four years ago.

Jafari Matthews and Jerri-Ann King stand accused of intentionally sending offensive electronic messages about the complainant without lawful excuse or justification. The messages are said to be linked to the serious criminal case against Browne, who was found not guilty in 2021.

The pair’s legal journey has been a lengthy one. They were first charged and brought before the Magistrates Court in January 2022, where they were granted bail under strict conditions — warned not to malign the complainant, spread false information, or make defamatory statements, with the court making clear that any breach would result in immediate imprisonment. The case was committed to the High Court in July 2023 but has only now been scheduled for hearing.

Friday’s appearance was brief. The court was advised that the formal indictment has not yet been filed, though prosecutors indicated it would be submitted shortly. The matter was adjourned to March 6th, 2026, when it will be called again once the indictment is formally lodged.

Both Matthews and King remain on bail in the meantime.

The case is a lingering thread from one of Antigua and Barbuda’s more closely watched criminal prosecutions in recent years.

Browne, who represented All Saints West in Parliament, was acquitted of the charges against him in 2021, but the controversy surrounding the case apparently continued in the form of online communications that prosecutors allege were designed to offend or harass the woman at the centre of it.