Nationwide News understands that the Corruption Prosecution Unit at the Integrity Commission has ruled that a criminal charge be laid against a senior legislator from the Opposition People’s National Party.
Nationwide News has been informed of the identity of the legislator.
But we have made the editorial decision not to publish his name at this time.
A report naming the member of parliament, and the circumstances supporting the ruling by the Integrity Commission, is set to be tabled in the House of Representatives sometime this month.
We have more in this report from George Davis.
Sources close to the Commission tell our news centre that the ruling that a criminal charge be pursued against the Opposition legislator follows his alleged failure to submit his Statutory Declarations for 2022 within the time period required by law.
The Opposition MP is said to have eventually submitted the outstanding declaration, but after the deadline date.
It’s understood that compounding the problems for him is his failure to comply with a notice prepared by the Commission.
In that notice, the Opposition MP was told he was being fined $250,000 for not submitting his Statutory declarations in a timely fashion, which is in breach of the law.
The Integrity Commission says its checks proved that the MP in question failed to pay the fine as stipulated to Tax Administration Jamaica.
It’s understood that the Integrity Commission is awaiting a certificate from its Information Technology Department and a statement from an officer at the Accounts and Finance Department at the Houses of Parliament before placing the MP before the court.
Our sources say Director of Corruption Prosecution at the Integrity Commission, Keisha Prince-Kameka, ruled this week, on October 8, that the MP be charged.
The report and ruling, outlining the case against the Opposition MP, could be tabled in the House of Representatives as early as next week.
The MP in question is a senior member of the Mark Golding-led PNP, with strong roots in the party.
He’s also one of the Opposition’s most vocal members in the parliament.
Senior members of the PNP tell our news centre that the MP is aware of the development with the Integrity Commission and is readying himself for an appearance in court.
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