Dalrymple-Philibert Faces Trial in 2025 for False Statements. The Member of Parliament for Trelawny Southern, Marisa Dalrymple-Philibert, of the Jamaica Labor Party, is scheduled to face trial on March 31, 2025, for allegedly providing false statements in her statutory declarations.
Her legal team – King’s Counsel Peter Champagnie, Neco Pagon, and Olivia Plowright – has set aside three days to speed up the judicial process.
Dalrymple-Philibert is facing the court regarding her September 2023 Integrity Commission (IC) report. The report recommended that Dalrymple-Philibert get charged with eight criminal offenses for making false statements in her statutory declaration filings from 2015 to 2021.
The IC concluded that the accused breached the Parliament Integrity of Members Act and the Integrity Commission Act.
The IC said, Marisa Dalrymple–Philibert neglected to report her 2015 Mercedes–Benz
According to the IC, she omitted a 2015 Mercedes-Benz from her statutory declarations for six years. Furthermore, she had used her 20 percent duty concession privilege to acquire the vehicle.
In her defense, the accused said it was an honest mistake because she had forgotten that she owned the car.
Overwhelmed by shame and disgrace, Dalrymple-Philibert resigned as MP and House Speaker on September 21, 2023.
The Parliamentary seat remained vacant for over one year until she got reelected in a by-election on November 22, 2024. So, she is back as the MP for Trelawny Southern after resigning more than a year ago, even though her criminal charges are still before the court.
On Friday, December 13, Parish Judge Leighton Morris denied an application by Dalrymple-Philibert’s defense to dismiss the case. The application alleged the IC abused procedural norms in preferring charges.
Champagnie suggested February 7, 2025, for case management, highlighting his dedication to a smooth process. He requested the prosecution to reveal its intended witnesses by that date.
The judge deniedPhilibert’s application to dismiss the case.
Before denying Dalrymple-Philibert’s application to dismiss the case, Judge Morris commended lawyers on both sides for providing legal guidance.
Then, he proceeded to address the defense argument about procedural fairness.
He noted that the IC has the authority to regulate its processes under Section 26 of the IC Act.
“It is impossible to conclude that the wrong procedure was followed such that the integrity of our justice system or systems of justice is in danger of being undermined such as to activate the court’s mode of defense.”
Judge Leighton Morris
Dressed in all black, Dalrymple-Philibert listened attentively from the prisoner’s dock as Judge Morris concluded:
“This matter does not meet the criteria for a stay of proceedings, and under the circumstances, this application must be refused.”
Judge Leighton Morris
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