Barbara Gayle, Staff Reporter

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Kent Pantry, Q.C., has directed that there is not going to be a new trial in the criminal case involving businesswoman Kimberly Adamou.

Attorney-at-law Hugh Thompson, who is prosecuting the case, told The Gleaner yesterday that he was not aware that the DPP had the power to force a Resident Magistrate to continue a trial when the RM had recused herself from the case.

Resident Magistrate Carol Edwards had started the case last year, but the RM disqualified herself after Adamou objected to her trying the case because of comments she had made.

The case was adjourned several times to await the DPP's ruling as to whether he was going to enter a nolle prosequi (no proceedings) so the trial could be restarted.

Set for continuation

When the case came before the Spanish Town Resident Magistrate's Court for the 35th time on Friday, Pearnel Charles Jr., Clerk of the Courts, informed Resident Magistrate Sharon George that the DPP had instructed that he was not entering a nolle prosequi.

The trial has been set for continuation on March 29.

Adamou's case came to public attention last year when she complained to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights about the injustices she faced. She also complained about the long delay in having the case disposed of since August 2003.

Adamou's former business partner, Wayne Baxter, is the accused in the case. He is charged with larceny, malicious destruction of property and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Adamou, who was assisted by the lobby group Jamaicans For Justice, took her case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which in July last year asked the Jamaican Government to ensure that precautionary measures were taken to ensure her safety.