Former Education Minister Ruel Reid and President of the Caribbean Maritime University Dr Fritz Pinnock were delivered some not so good news by the Supreme on Christmas Eve today concernig their criminal charges.

This as Chief Justice Bryan Sykes denied the men’s application to strike down the criminal charges brought against them by the Financial Investigations Division (FID). Sykes delivered the ruling almost a week after the matter was heard in chambers.

Attorneys for Reid and Pinnock filed the application in October, shortly after the men were charged with breaches of the Corruption Prevention Act. The two argued that the FID did not have the authority to charge them as it is solely an investigative body.

On October 9, Reid, his wife Sharen, daughter Sharelle, along with Pinnock and St Ann Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence (JLP) were arrested and charged in relation to a corruption probe at the CMU and the Ministry of Education. They were granted bail in the St Andrew Parish Court on October 10. The five accused were also charged with conspiracy to defraud, misconduct in a public office at common law and breaches of the Proceeds of Crime Act.