Former Minister of Housing and Environment Kenred Dorsett will appear before Justice Bernard Turner in Supreme Court on September 15, to face the extortion and soliciting charges that he was arraigned on in July.
Dorsett returned to the Magistrate’s Court on Friday and appeared before Magistrate Samuel McKinney, who served him with a Voluntary Bill of Indictment (VBI).
Before Magistrate McKinney informed the former Progressive Liberal Party MP of his appearance at Supreme Court, he read to him a Notice of Alibi.
In this notice, as Magistrate McKinney read it, Dorsett is not permitted to present an alibi or call anyone as a witness as his alibi, unless he presents the same to the court and the attorney general in 21 days.
However, attorney for Dorsett, Wayne Munroe, QC, told the court “there is difficulty in providing an alibi as the dates of the charges are vague.”
According to charges that Dorsett faces, the extortion and soliciting offenses were alleged to have been committed between March 1 and May 9, to this Mr. Munroe argued that prosecutors have to identify which dates the offense occurred or where on New Providence, and asked that investigators provide that information.
“Well, the offense is said to have happened between the 1st of March and the 9th of May, so that’s 70 days,” Mr. Munroe told reporters.
“So they don’t say which day it happens, day or days, so you don’t know which day you have to say you were not where this guy says you where when the offense happened.”
Dorsett is charged with extorting and soliciting $120,000 in bribes from Jonathon Ash as well as misconduct in public office.
He is on $50,000 bail with two sureties.
