The corruption trial of embattled Long Island Member of Parliament Adrian Gibson, which was set to begin today has been stayed by the Court of Appeal. The ruling was delivered on Monday by Justice Jon Isaacs, who ordered the stay pending the determination of an appeal.
Notice of appeal for the former Water and Sewerage Corporation Executive Chairman was heard on Monday before Justice Jon Isaacs, Madam Justice Crane-Scott and Justice Milton Evans.
On May 4th, Gibson’s attorney Murrio Ducille, KC sought declarations that Gibson’s constitutional rights had been infringed due to requests by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Cordell Frazier, for key witness in the trail, Alexandria Mackey, to give evidence by way of live television link.
Included in the constitutional motion filed by attorney Ducille were three issues brought before the crown.
The first was the issue of whether there was adequate and proper disclosure by the prosecution to the applicants. The second, whether there was proper and adequate disclosure provided by the prosecution within a reasonable time and the third, whether the applicants would be disadvantaged if Mrs. Mackey were allowed to appear and testify by video live feed.
On Monday, May 15, Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson ruled that both applications were premature, and they were dismissed. Ducille informed the Supreme Court that he would appeal the decision.
During yesterday’s proceedings, Mr. Ducille noted that he filed the appeal and certificate of urgency on the 16 of May 2023 with six grounds.
Justice Isaacs noted that Mr. Ducille had not filed any submissions related to the appeal despite labeling the case as urgent. Mr. Ducille then informed the court that he had just received notice last week Friday evening that the trial would begin Monday.
Justice Isaacs asserted that when he filed the appeal, submissions and documentation on his clients’ behalf should have been included.
Mr. Ducille asked for a brief adjournment so that he would be able to ‘get his house in order’ however, the DPP objected stating that she and Mr. Ducille were adequately informed, but only she filed submissions.
Justice Isaacs said he is baffled that counsel would expect the Court to hear the appeals without any documentation.
Court was adjourned until the 13th of June 2023 to allow Mr. Ducille time to file submissions.
