Supreme Court Decision on PM Holness’s Judicial Review Request Expected December 6

Kingston, Jamaica – Prime Minister Andrew Holness will know on December 6 whether the Supreme Court will grant his request for a judicial review of the Integrity Commission’s (IC) investigation into his financial declarations. Justice Althea Jarrett, who heard arguments from both sides over the past two days, reserved her decision until next month.

The case centers around a controversial 171-page IC report, authored by Director of Investigations Kevon Stephenson, which raised concerns about Holness’s 2021 income filings. The report cited “unexplained financial discrepancies” in Holness’s declarations, alleged potential tax compliance issues, and noted transactions of over J$470 million involving companies linked to the Prime Minister. While the IC did not conclude on potential illicit enrichment, it referred the matter to the Financial Investigations Division, citing Holness’s lack of documentation on specific expenses.

In response, Holness is seeking to have the report declared “unlawful” and “unfair,” contending that the IC’s findings are flawed and wrongly imply unethical conduct. He has denied any wrongdoing, stating that the investigation process itself was prejudiced.

Holness applied to the Supreme Court on September 30, requesting several administrative orders to nullify the IC’s report, end all related investigations, and strike down parts of the Integrity Commission Act and Corruption Prevention Act as “unconstitutional.”

Representing Holness and affiliated entities—Imperium Investments Holdings Limited, Positive Media Solutions Limited, and Positive Jamaica Foundation—King’s Counsel Georgia Gibson-Henlin argued that the IC’s investigation procedures and the subsequent report were unjust.

The IC and its officials—Director of Information and Complaints Craig Beresford, Director of Investigations Kevon Stephenson, and the commission itself—are represented by the law firm Hylton Powell, led by King’s Counsel Michael Hylton, former solicitor general of Jamaica.

The case has drawn widespread attention, with many awaiting the court’s decision as it may set a significant precedent on the limits of the Integrity Commission’s investigative authority.