MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Two men, one said to be a decommissioned justice of the peace (JP) and the other a current JP, are in police lock-up on a string of charges including uttering forged documents.

The accused men are Marvin Dean, 46, a resident of Cross Keys and Newport in Manchester; and Dudley Powell, 64, a businessman of Glenco, Spalding, on the Clarendon/Manchester border.

Police say the men were charged on Thursday and Friday after they were held by cops in an operation at the Island Traffic Authority’s Mandeville Service Hub (depot) last week.

They are accused of purporting to be medical doctors and signing driver’s licence application forms.

A senior police source said on May 18 cops swooped down on the depot and arrested the men as part of an investigation. They are scheduled to appear in the Manchester Parish Court next Wednesday.

Detectives on Thursday charged Dean with 12 offences; namely, impersonating a doctor; cheating the public revenue; uttering forged documents; possession of false documents; forgery, forging a Government seal; uttering forged seal; obtaining money by means of false pretence; conspiracy; forging the seal of a notary public; attempted bribery; and possession of forged stamp.

On Friday detectives charged Powell with four offences: cheating the public revenue; conspiracy; using an official seal for fraudulent or unlawful purpose; and misconduct in a public office.

Custos of Manchester Garfield Green told the Jamaica Observer on Friday that Dean was decommissioned in 2024 for allegedly charging for JP services.

“…This development has potential implications for public trust and the integrity of the office of justice of the peace. My office is working closely with the police with their investigations,” Green said.

He expressed concern over other allegations of improper conduct by JPs which, he said, have “spurred a police investigation”.

Custos Green said the public should take note that documents signed by JPs, except for photographs, must also have a seal.

“… When a JP is being commissioned they are given a Government seal; that seal must be affixed to all documents carrying the JP’s signature. A document with a signature and no seal is not valid,” said Green.

“What some people do is to get rubber stamps made, and the public needs to know this: Nothing is illegal in getting the rubber stamps made because it reduces the amount of writing you have to do, but you [the JP] would still need to affix your seal to the document,” added Green.

He is reminding the public that all JP services should be free of charge.

“There is not one single thing a JP can do for you out of the office of a justice of the peace that costs you a penny,” said Green.

“We also need the public to work with us to provide evidence of any information that they have of persons carrying out illegal activities in this way. We have heard rumours and heard people making comments, but we need evidence to act on,” added Green.