KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Supreme Court has granted leave to former Education Minister Ruel Reid and President of Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) Professor Fritz Pinnock, to contend a ruling made by Senior Parish Judge Chester Crooks in their case.

The contention is being made on the basis of conflict of interest as the senior parish judge and former minister are both past student of Munro College in St Elizabeth.

The Judge, after ruling in February that both of the accused should go to trial, had recused himself, citing possible conflict of interest, though he did not say with which of the accused.

In response to this Reid and Pinnock filed for leave application in the Supreme Court to go to the Judicial Review Court to quash the judge’s ruling.

Justice Courtney Daye heard the application today and granted leave, setting September 20 as the date for the first hearing, before setting a date for a Judicial Review Court hearing.

Pinnock and Reid were first arrested in October 2019 under charges of defrauding the Ministry of Education and the Caribbean Maritime University of millions of dollars.