Antigua’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Anthony Armstrong, who was detained and charged in connection with three land deals, was charged with new counts of fraud this morning.
On Thursday morning, when the case was presented before the Kingston and St. Andrew Parish Court, it was revealed that the accused was charged with three counts each of uttering fake documents and forgery.
The court clerk informed the judge that the investigator said that additional analysis of the case file resulted in the new charges.
In addition, she stated that the investigator informed her that charges were not initially filed because she was in a hurry to get the case before the court.
Hugh Wildman, Armstrong’s primary attorney, questioned why no charges were filed and urged that the investigator be impeached, alleging that the police executed a “rush job.”
He stated that she notified the court on Monday that the file was complete and offered no indication that she was considering filing additional charges.
“Did she invent these fees overnight?” he inquired.
Saturday, upon his arrival at the Norman Manley International Airport, the Jamaican attorney was arrested and accused with conspiracy to deceive and false conversion.
Armstrong allegedly represented the plaintiff, who was the seller, in the sale of three homes in Jamaica eighteen years ago.
Armstrong asserts that the sale earnings were transferred to the complainant’s father, whom he had appointed as his agent, while he was detained in the United States.
Armstrong was referred to the General Legal Council (GLC) by the complainant in the issue.
In February, the Disciplinary Committee of the GLC found Armstrong guilty of professional misconduct for signing a document for an absent client.
In light of the new allegations, the judge has postponed a decision on whether Armstrong’s passport will be returned.
Armstrong’s bail of $500,000 was postponed until November 16.
