A serious allegation has surfaced against the Antigua and Barbuda Defence Force (ABDF), as a fresh court filing accuses the military leadership of deliberately providing false information to the High Court, resulting in what the litigant describes as an erroneous and unjust decision.
The dispute stems from ongoing legal proceedings brought by Captain Javonson Willock, who has alleged misconduct in public office against Brigadier General Telbert Benjamin and Lieutenant Colonel Dalton Graham.
The matter is scheduled for trial on October 8, 2025, and tensions have heightened following revelations that critical information presented to the Court may have been misleading.
Captain Willock applied to the High Court seeking permission to cross-examine Lieutenant Colonel Alando Michael and Sergeant Manyakie Edwards, both of whom are central witnesses for the defence.
During last Thursday’s hearing, Willock argued that Sergeant Edwards’ testimony was pivotal in demonstrating the alleged malice and misconduct of the defendants.
The defendants opposed the application, in part, claiming that Sergeant Edwards was in China, where time-zone differences and communication challenges made remote testimony impractical.
Acting on that information, the Court denied Willock’s request to cross-examine Edwards and further ordered him to pay $750 in costs to the defendants for his late application.
Willock has since filed new evidence suggesting that Edwards is not in China at all, but is instead in the United States, where time-zone differences and communication barriers are minimal.
This revelation raises questions about the integrity of the defence’s submissions to the Court and the fairness of the judicial process.
The allegation that the ABDF may have misled a sitting High Court judge strikes at the heart of public confidence in state institutions.
If senior members of the Defence Force are found to have knowingly misrepresented facts to the judiciary, it could erode trust in the justice system and the armed forces.
The High Court is now expected to consider Captain Willock’s fresh application to cross-examine Sergeant Edwards in light of the new evidence.
Willock continues to represent himself while the defendants are represented by Mrs. Joy Dublin-Baptiste, Ms. Rose-Ann Kim, and Ms. Chandera Codrinton.
