Defence attorney Andrew O’Kola has sharply criticized state authorities following a High Court ruling that dismissed murder charges against his client, Methoni Vernon, due to improper extradition procedures.
The High Court of Justice in Antigua and Barbuda granted a stay of proceedings after determining that Vernon had been unlawfully transferred from Dominica to face murder charges in Antigua. Justice Tunde Bakre’s ruling effectively discharged Vernon from the 2017 murder charge related to Roy Carridice.
Following the ruling, O’Kola condemned the authorities’ actions, stating: “This case is a stark reminder that the States ought not to circumvent due process to achieve its objectives. The immigration laws and procedures in both Dominica and Antigua were completely disregarded in what was a clear case of unlawful rendition.”
Vernon, a Jamaican national who had lived in Antigua from 2000 until he relocated to Dominica in 2014, successfully argued through his attorney that he was seized and transported to Antigua outside of proper extradition procedures. Vernon alleged that Dominican police took him into custody for overstaying, denied him legal assistance, and forcibly placed him on a flight to Antigua where he was arrested immediately after the plane landed.
In his judgment, Justice Bakre concluded: “It is clear that the process that brought the applicant to the jurisdiction of Antigua is as related by the applicant. The defendant narrated how he was forcefully kept in Dominica and not allowed to see a judge until he was put on a plane with police officers from Antigua and arrested on arrival.”
The court found evidence that authorities had arranged an “informal” transfer, with former Police Commissioner Wendel Alexander acknowledging that “informal arrangements were made to have him returned by the Dominican authorities” and that “these arrangements included his airline ticket to Antigua being purchased by the Antigua and Barbuda authorities.”
O’Kola further emphasized that “Immigration laws are designed to ensure transparency, fairness, and respect for fundamental rights. What occurred in this case was not a lawful deportation but a deliberate, unlawful transfer engineered by law enforcement authorities.”
The ruling establishes an important precedent regarding improper deportation and disguised extradition. “No matter how serious the allegations against an individual, the law must be followed. If the State wishes to prosecute someone, it must do so within the framework of lawful immigration and extradition procedures,” O’Kola added.
The defence has therefore called for “greater accountability and strict adherence to legal procedures in future extradition and immigration matters to prevent similar abuses from occurring”.
