DPP’s judicial review to be heard on Monday

The legal battle between Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Paula Llewellyn and Senior Magistrate Judith Pusey in the corruption trial of former Junior Minister for Energy, Kern Spencer, is set to get underway on Monday.

The Judicial Review Court is to hear the matter.

In May, the DPP was granted leave by the Supreme Court to challenge a subpoena served on her to become a witness at the trial.

Ms Llewellyn applied for Judicial Review after Mr. Spencer's attorneys served her with a subpoena, claiming she is now a witness in the matter.

The defence team argued that she will be called to shed light on her November 2008 meeting with then co-accused, Rodney Chin.

Following the meeting, the charges were dropped against Mr. Chin.

Ms Llewellyn is challenging the subpoena, claiming that it is a grand scheme by Mr. Spencer's attorneys to have her removed from the case.

She also complained that Senior Magistrate, Judith Pusey, was wrong in not setting aside the subpoena.

Mr. Spencer and his former assistant, Coleen Wright, are on trial for money laundering and corruption arising from the collapse of the Cuban Lightbulb programme.

The trial is tentatively set to resume on December 21.