SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for north-west St Elizabeth J C Hutchinson was yesterday cleared of charges related to a 2005 roadblock incident after the prosecuting officer arrived too late for the trial at the Santa Cruz Resident Magistrate’s Court.

“As I was going up the steps they were coming down,” prosecuting officer, Superintendent Maurice Robinson, outgoing head of the St Elizabeth police, later told the Observer.

Robinson explained that he had earlier informed the court that he would be there at 11:00 am but ran 15 minutes late because of pressing duties.

But Hutchinson, who has consistently insisted that he was not involved in blocking the Lacovia main road on September 6, 2005 as alleged by police, told journalists that the dismissal of the case against him was a “vindication”.

Hutchinson noted that Robinson had missed the last three court sittings, indicating, in his view, that the police were convinced they had erred in bringing charges against him in the first place. The parliamentarian said he was contemplating legal action and would be seeking advice from lawyers. Hutchinson had also threatened legal action when he was first prosecuted and relieved of his licensed firearm following the roadblock incident 17 months ago.

In the absence of Robinson at yesterday’s court session, Resident Magistrate Stanley Clarke dismissed the charges against Hutchinson for disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and breaches of the Solid Waste Management Act.

Prior to his decision, the resident magistrate was informed by the Clerk of Court that Robinson had missed the last three sittings.