Anthony Armstrong, Antigua and Barbuda's Director of Public Prosecutions
By Racquel Porter
Attorney Hugh Wildman is to continue his submissions on December 5, to have the criminal charges against Antigua and Barbuda's Director of Public Prosecutions, Anthony Armstrong, stayed.
Mr. Wildman began his submissions in the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court on Wednesday, arguing that the charges are an abuse of process.
Prior to the adjournment, Mr. Wildman, who had indicated that he intends to take the case to the Constitutional Court, submitted that Parish Judge Venise Blackstock Murray has the jurisdiction to stay the case.
Mr. Armstrong is charged with three counts of forgery, three counts of uttering a forged document, conspiracy and three counts of fraudulent conversion in relation to the sale of three properties.
His attorney argued that the case should be stayed on the basis that it took 18 years for a complaint to be made against the Jamaican attorney, there is lack of evidence and prosecutorial misconduct.
Mr. Wildman contended that his client was not the person who sold the properties, telling the court that the complainant's cousin, Shelly Peart Campbell, who is also charged, signed the transfer documents.
He argued that his client only facilitated the purchase of one property in St. Andrew.
But the clerk of court told the judge that documents from the National Land Agency showed that Armstrong had dealt with the sale of the properties.
The court was further told that one of the purchasers gave a statement in which he alleged that Armstrong told him that he was a real estate agent and the person in charge of the property.
The complainant had also reported Armstrong to the General Legal Council.
The Disciplinary Committee of the Council in February this year found that Armstrong was guilty of professional misconduct for signing a document for a client who was not present.
The complainant in the case against Mr. Armstrong is claiming that the Jamaican attorney promised to repay him for the sale of three properties while he was incarcerated in the United States.
The complainant further alleged that Mr. Armstrong repaid him US$15,450 between September 2006 and April 2007, through a third party from Antigua.
According to the allegations, the complainant met Mr. Armstrong through his cousin's husband and retained him in 1999 to act as his lawyer during the land purchase.
Two of the properties were in St. Andrew while the other was in St. Ann.
The court was told that months after the completion of the land transaction, the complainant ran afoul of the law in 2003 and was incarcerated for 15 years.
While in prison, his relatives informed him that the properties had been sold.
The clerk of court said following the complainant's release, it is alleged that he had a telephone conversation with Mr. Armstrong in which the attorney admitted to selling his properties and promised to repay him.
It is further alleged that Mr. Armstrong was given time by the complainant to make the payments.
The complainant alleged that after collecting partial payments in 2006 and 2007, he was unable to contact Mr. Armstrong.
The complainant then reported the matter in 2018.
He contends that he had not authorised the lawyer or anyone else to sell the lands on his behalf.
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