Prime Minister Andrew Holness has made damning claims against the Integrity Commission, Kevon Stephenson and Craig Beresford in his application for judicial review.
Chevon Campbell reports.
The law firm, Henlin Gibson Henlin set down 69 grounds on which the Prime Minister moved to seek judicial review into the report of investigations into his statutory declarations.
Point 50 is particularly damning.
Holness’ lawyers say the tabling of the report was done in bad faith to prejudice and harm him, given that the entire scheme of the Integrity Commission Act is to ensure confidentiality and secure fairness for those who are being legitimately investigated.
The big question about whether or not Holness knew he was being probed for illicit enrichment is also dealt with in the 69 grounds for action.
At point 42, his lawyers say he was not given the background in relation to the alleged irregularities that were being investigated and was not told the proportion or sum by which his assets were disproportionate to his income.
They say he therefore could not fairly and accurately respond to matters that concerned the subject matter of the investigation.
Holness’ lawyers then deal with what they describe as the misuse of the Prime Minister’s private information.
They accuse the Integrity Commission of disclosing Holness’ private information in a manner that is prejudicial to his rights and bringing him into public odium.
Public odium is defined as the hatred, disapproval, or dislike that the public feels for a person, usually due to something the person has done.
The lawyers also raised the issue of a report from an international forensics expert, who spent six months poring over the details of Holness’ finances.
They say Holness was entitled to see and respond to any adverse findings and benefit from any advantageous findings in that report.
They say that Holness was not provided with a copy of the report.
They accuse the Integrity Commission of broadening the scope of the investigation and setting a moving target for the Prime Minister to hit.
Holness’ lawyers say the investigation into his 2022 and 2023 statutory declarations was nothing more than a, “fishing expedition”.
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