Former Police Commissioner Rawlston Pompey has questioned the legitimacy of charges against Washington Bramble and criticized the adjournment of the case until January, describing the accusations as “apparent trumped-up charges.”

In a comment responding to Antigua Newsroom’s court report, Pompey challenged the handling of the prosecution, focusing on allegations of annoyance and insulting language.

He argued that the minor offences should be dealt with promptly by a magistrate and questioned the time allowed for prosecutors to provide disclosure.

“Disclosure: time wasting … bad for administration of justice,” Pompey wrote.

Bramble appeared before Senior Magistrate Veronica Thomas on Monday, represented by attorney Justin Simon. She faces charges of disorderly conduct by making noise, annoyance, using insulting language and escaping lawful custody.

Prosecutors were given until Nov. 27 to provide disclosure, and the matter was adjourned to Jan. 25 for plea. Her station bail was confirmed.

Pompey disputed the court report’s description of all complainants as police officers, asserting that Commissioner of Police Everton Jeffers is the single formal complainant.

He also offered an account of the circumstances behind the annoyance allegation, claiming it involved a police officer who was either a tenant of, or visiting, a neighbor of Bramble’s in Hatton. He said the properties were separated by a galvanized fence and that the dispute involved a dog kept to deter intruders.

Those details were not established in the court report, which said the annoyance and insulting language charges arose from an alleged Sept. 11 incident in Hatton.

Pompey suggested Simon could secure the dismissal of the charges. His comments did not substantively address the separate allegation that Bramble escaped a police constable’s lawful custody at the Sir Lester Bird Medical Centre on Oct. 15.

A further charge alleges that she engaged in disorderly conduct by making noise at the medical centre on Oct. 22.

Bramble was arrested at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting town hall after speaking about crime, alleged police brutality and discrimination.

The court heard that none of the charges was connected to the town hall meeting. Police previously said her arrest concerned an investigation into an earlier matter at Gray’s Farm and that attempts to locate her for questioning before the meeting had been unsuccessful.

Pompey’s allegations about the legitimacy of the charges have not been determined by the court.

This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Former police commissioner questions charges, delays in Bramble case.