‘Misunderstanding’ postpones Legislator’s case

Friday, September 3, 2004

MLA Lyndon Martin’s case was delayed once again in Summary Court on Wednesday because of a ‘misunderstanding’ in the Crown Counsel’s office.

Mr Martin is charged with conniving an illegal landing. He also faces two additional charges of illegally employing a person at Martin’s Pizzeria and Grill in Cayman Brac.

The mention had been previously adjourned on 11 August. In court on Wednesday, Crown Counsel Gail Johnson said that the Attorney General had requested to review the case, but had not yet done so at this time. Ms Johnson requested a postponement and the parties settled upon 22 September for the mention’s next date.

After the proceedings, Attorney General Sam Bulgin indicated that a miscommunication had occurred and that he had no intention of reviewing the Martin file. “I had only inquired about the progress of the case. I would only review a case for an exceptional reason.”

Adam Roberts, the Senior Crown Counsel who is overseeing the case, admitted: “There had been a miscommunication on my part. The Attorney General and I were talking about the case and I thought he needed to review the case. It was an unfortunate misunderstanding.”

When Mr Martin’s attorney Samuel Jackson was informed later in the day that the Attorney General would not be looking into the case, he said: “I wouldn’t mind any senior member of the Legal Department looking at the charges because this case should not be in court.”

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