Former Democratic Labour Party candidate Dawn-Marie Armstrong had four charges under the COVID-19 Directive dismissed earlier today in the District “C” Magistrates’ Court, St Matthias, Christ Church.
Queen’s Counsel Michael Lashley and Sade Harris successfully argued that the charges contained a fundamental defect. Lashley said afterwards that Armstrong felt harassed.
Armstrong, who contested the January 19 General Election in St George South, was charged twice that she did contravene Section 13 clause (c) of the Emergency Management (COVID-19) (Curfew) Directive, 2022, by obstructing a member of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit (CMU) on January 19.
She was also charged twice with contravening Section 13 Subsection 2 clause (b) of the Emergency Management (COVID-19) (Curfew) Directive, 2022, by failing to answer any question put to “him” by a member of the CMU, on January 26.
Magistrate Elwood Watts did not to take a plea after agreeing that the charges held a defect. However, he noted they could be remedied with an amendment.
After standing down the matter for about 45 minutes, in an effort to give a member of the CMU the opportunity to bring the necessary information, Magistrate Watts dismissed the matters when no one turned up. (RA)