Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, the newly re-elected Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Member of Parliament for Trelawny Southern, is set to face trial on March 31 next year over allegations of making false statements in her statutory declarations. Her legal team, which includes King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, Neco Pagon, and Olivia Plowright, has allocated three days to expedite the legal proceedings.
The charges stem from a September 2023 report by the Integrity Commission (IC), which recommended that Dalrymple-Philibert be charged with eight criminal offenses for providing false information in her statutory declarations from 2015 to 2021. The IC found that she had violated the Parliament (Integrity of Members) Act and the Integrity Commission Act by failing to disclose the purchase of a 2015 Mercedes-Benz and the use of her 20 percent duty concession to acquire the vehicle over a six-year period.
Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert resigned as both Member of Parliament (MP) and House Speaker on September 21 of last year due to the ongoing allegations. However, she was re-elected to represent Trelawny Southern in a by-election held on November 22 and resumed her seat in the House of Representatives this month.
On Friday, Parish Judge Leighton Morris rejected an application from Dalrymple-Philibert’s defense team to dismiss the case, which argued procedural abuse by the IC in preferring charges. Judge Morris commended both parties for providing relevant legal guidance but addressed the defense’s concerns about procedural fairness. He noted that under Section 26 of the Integrity Commission Act, the IC has the authority to regulate its own processes.
“It is impossible to conclude that the wrong procedure was followed such that the integrity of our justice system or systems of justice is in danger of being undermined,” Judge Morris stated.
Champagnie proposed February 7, 2025, for case management and urged the prosecution to disclose its intended witnesses by that date to ensure a smooth and expedited process.
Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, an attorney by profession, listened closely from the prisoner’s dock as Judge Leighton Morris delivered his ruling. He stated, “This matter does not meet the criteria for a stay of proceedings, and under the circumstances, this application must be refused.”
Dalrymple-Philibert’s legal team accepted the decision. King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie remarked, “Some of Your Honour’s findings in terms of rationality suggest that certain issues and questions can only be resolved through a trial.”
