⚖️ Visiting judge appointed for former premier's trial

Justice Stanley John has been officially sworn in by Governor Jane Owen to sit on the Cayman bench for the trial of former premier and speaker, McKeeva Bush. Bush is facing charges for allegedly assaulting two female civil servants at an official event in September 2022. The trial, which is set to commence on 19 February, will have a jury panel of seven members and four alternates. Bush has strongly denied the allegations, suggesting that the case is politically motivated and accusing the governor's office of undue interference to bring a prosecution. 🏛️

Justice John's appointment to preside over the jury trial was recommended by the Judicial and Legal Services Commission. Given Bush's extensive political history in the region, it was deemed inappropriate for a local judge familiar with Bush to handle the case. Justice John, a national of Trinidad and Tobago, has a distinguished legal career, having served in various high-profile roles in the Trinidad and Tobago High Court, the Court of Appeal, the Court of Appeal of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. 🌐