KINGSTON, Jamaica — The trial of former Education Minister Ruel Reid, former Caribbean Maritime University President Fritz Pinnock and their three co-accused will continue with more witness testimonies when it resumes in February 2026.

Court adjourned on Thursday just after a statement from Reid’s former driver, who is now deceased, was accepted into evidence with some redactions.

So far, the prosecution has called three witnesses of a proposed 92 as they attempt to prove that Reid, Pinnock, Reid’s wife Sharen Reid, their daughter Sharelle Reid and Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence took part in a scheme that siphoned off over $25 million from the Caribbean Maritime University and the Ministry of Education.

The trial began on October 7th, following an unexpected absence of the then Judge Vaughn Facey on October 6th.

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell took over the case, allowing matters to begin in earnest.

Throughout the trial, some members of the defence have raised issues of admissibility, pointing to how some of the information that the prosecution wishes to use in the trial was obtained.

On multiple occasions, members of the defence have made submissions requesting that the trial be effectively discontinued; so far, none have been successful.

The case dates back to 2019 when the accused were arrested following public calls for an investigation into the ministry and the university.

Crown prosecutors outlined allegations that between March 2016 and October 2019, the five accused participated in the $25 million scheme, with others unknown, in which money was paid over to bank accounts either owned or controlled by the accused or handed over to them in cash.

Prosecutors allege that the money came from fraudulent payments made for work that was never done or services which were never provided to either the ministry or the university.

The accused have maintained their innocence throughout, pleading not guilty to all the charges on the 35-count indictment. The accused are not subject to all of the charges, rather are charged with different counts, some jointly, resulting in a total of 35. Reid is subject to the most charges, having been named in over 30 counts.

Bail for the accused was extended until court resumes in February.