Antigua, CMC – Former prime minister Baldwin Spencer is calling for the resignation of Attorney General Steadroy “Cutie” Benjamin who goes on trial on October 1 on allegations of passport fraud.
Former PM Spencer
The prosecution had alleged that in 2008, Benjamin signed a passport application form and photograph of Jamaican Shane Anthony Allen, who claimed to have been Antiguan Tyrell Brann when he applied for and obtained the Antigua & Barbuda passport. Brann had died earlier.
Allen and Lynda Brann, the mother of the deceased man, had been convicted and sentenced to two years in jail as a result of the fraudulent activities.
“It is a conflict of interest situation. Quite frankly and under the circumstances Steadroy “Cuttie” Benjamin should not have been appointed Attorney General in charge of the police and all that while the matter was pending,” Spencer said.
He said it was “extremely poor judgement” on the part of the new Prime Minister Gaston Brown to have included Benjamin in his administration following the June 12 general election when the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party (ALP) defeated the then ruling United progressive Party (UPP).
“But I believe that was deliberate. It was a sort of in your face situation, to hell with what’s before the courts or whatever the case might be,” said Spencer, who last month wrote to Prime Minister Brown protesting Benjamin’s appointment to the Cabinet.
He said there has been no response to his letter.
