KINGSTON, Jamaica — Several witnesses are expected to be called when the trial of former Education Minister Ruel Reid and his co-accused resumes on Thursday.

Between 10 and 16 witnesses are expected to be called in the trial where up to 92 witnesses in total are expected to give testimony.

Parish Court Judge Sanchia Burrell ruled Monday that the trial must move forward, granting an order of indictment.

Attorney Hugh Wildman had in his opening statement objected to the granting of the order, claiming that the prosecution was relying on statements that were illegally obtained, to agreement from the rest of the defence lawyers in the case.

The prosecution, in responding on Monday, put forward that Wildman’s objection to the order was premature as matters of admissibility of statements must be dealt with during the actual trial stage.

Wildman had put forward that the FID Act has a clause which prohibits its authorised agents and FID officers from sharing information gathered and that such officers do not have the power to arrest or charge anyone.

READ: Lawyers urge judge to drop criminal case against Ruel Reid and co-accused

The crown concurred with Wildman that the FID has investigative powers only, but  maintained that members of the Jamaica Constabulary Force who were designated authorised officers of the FID, also retained the powers granted to them under the Constabulary Force Act, including powers of arrest.

Wildman held fast to his position that the cases presented by the crown did not in any way detract from the defence’s submissions that all statements collected by the FID or police officers acting on behalf of the FID were not admissible.

However, Burrell disagreed, ruling that it was not within her remit at this preliminary  stage to adjudicate on the admissibility of evidence in its entirety.

She also rejected a defence submission that the trial be adjourned for another 10 weeks to give the defence time to go through disclosures submitted by the crown.

The allegations are that Reid and his co-accused his wife Sharen Reid and daughter Sharelle Reid, former Jamaica Labour Party councillor Kim Brown Lawrence and former Caribbean Maritime University President Fritz Pinnock, participated in a scheme that siphoned tens of millions in government funding from the Ministry of Education and CMU between 2016 and 2019.

— Dana Malcolm