Former Finance Minister relieved of charges after Magistrate rules on no-case submission

Former Minister of Finance Winston Jordan was on Tuesday cleared of charges of misconduct in public office by City Magistrate Leron Daly.

The Magistrate upheld a no-case submission made by Jordan’s lawyers. They argued that their client did not meet the definition of a “Public Officer,” a crucial element of the indictment.

Jordan, who served as the Finance Minister under the previous APNU+AFC government from 2015 to 2020, had been out on $3 million bail since his initial court appearance in 2021.

The charge against Jordan alleged that, while serving as the concerned minister for the government-owned National Industrial and Commercial Investments Limited (NICIL) between February 26 and July 31, 2020, he acted recklessly by signing NICIL (Transfer of Property) Order, No. 50 of 2020 in favour of BK International. It was further revealed in court that BK International had paid only $20,260,276 for a property valued at over $5 billion, indicating a gross undervaluation.

However, during the ruling on Tuesday, Magistrate Daly concluded that the State failed to provide sufficient evidence to establish that Jordan met the criteria of a “Public Officer.” As a result, she discharged him from the case, effectively dismissing the charges.

Previously, Magistrate Daly had reserved her ruling on the issue and the case proceeded via a paper committal.

However, on Tuesday, after the State filed all of its statements and documents in the case, the Magistrate chose to rule on the no-case submissions made by Jordan’s attorneys.

She ruled that Jordan was appointed as a “Minister” and not a “Public Officer.”

Chief Magistrate Ann McLennan and Principal Magistrate Sherdel Isaacs-Marcus have both recused themselves from the case.