Former PNP councillor Roogae Kirlew fined $200,000 for failing to file statutory declarations
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Former People’s National Party (PNP) councillor and current Principal of Spanish Town Primary School, Roogae Kirlew, was fined $200,000 in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Tuesday for failing to file his statutory declarations with the Integrity Commission (IC).
Kirlew is charged with failing to file his statutory declarations with the IC for the periods 2019, 2020 and 2022. The former councillor pleaded guilty to the charges when he appeared before Presiding Judge Alwayne Smith on Tuesday for sentencing.
Kirlew’s attorney, Atiba Dyer, argued that his client fell ill in 2019 during the COVID-19 pandemic and was not able to file on time. He also noted that there was confusion during the period surrounding how statutory declarations were to be submitted.
The court was told that he filed all three statutory declarations in 2022.
“What I am asking the court is to impose a sentence as lenient as the court can be. Mr Kirlew is a justice of the peace, he is a minister of religion, he is currently the principal at the Spanish Town Primary School. He has served his country well. He is a father of two sons, who he continues to support, one is 17 abroad at college and one is 10 years old,” Dyer said.
Additionally, the attorney said his client has amended his ways and is now compliant with the IC.
“Mr Kirlew subjected himself to the Integrity Commission when he heard about the allegations made against him. He was overseas and he subsequently returned to the island in October 2025. He went to the commission to have these issues rectified. Subsequent to making contact with the commission we were informed that summons were being prepared and made ourselves available to be served,” the attorney added.
Kirlew was fined $80,000 for failing to furnish his statutory declaration to the IC for the period ending December 31, 2019 and $120,000 for failing to furnish his statutory declaration to the IC for the period ending December 31, 2020. He was admonished and discharged for the period ending December 31, 2022.
READ: Councillors in hot water for failing to file statutory declarations
— Vanassa McKenzie
