30-Year-Old Forgery Case Dismissed in Kingston Court After Decades of Inactivity

KINGSTON, Jamaica — A long-standing criminal matter dating back to the early 1990s was brought to a close on Tuesday in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, where Morris Powell was admonished and discharged after more than three decades of inactivity.

Powell had faced multiple charges, including three counts of forgery and two counts of obtaining money by means of forged documents, all stemming from allegations in 1991. However, the case remained unresolved for years due to the repeated absence of witnesses.

Court records revealed that the last recorded activity in the matter occurred on October 1, 1992, when proceedings were adjourned because witnesses failed to appear. Since that time, no further action had been taken on the file.

During Tuesday’s hearing, Powell applied for the case to be dismissed, citing ongoing difficulties caused by the unresolved charges, including challenges in securing employment and obtaining a clean police record.

In a statement presented to the court, it was confirmed that the prosecution would not be proceeding with the case. The clerk indicated that, given the significant passage of time and lack of progress, no evidence would be offered against the accused.

Parish Judge Alicia McIntosh subsequently ordered that Powell be admonished and discharged, effectively bringing the decades-old matter to an end.

The ruling closes a case that had remained dormant within the justice system for over 30 years.