Culture Minister Olivia “Babsy” Grange on Friday pleaded with a judge not to send well-known medical doctor, Jephthah Ford, to prison.
Dr. Ford, who was convicted in August on corruption charges, is facing prison time.
Dr. Ford was convicted on two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice after prosecutors reported that he offered a police sergeant millions of dollars to release two Surinamese men who were suspected of being involved in money laundering.
The medical doctor also offered the cop a 40 per cent cut of the US$500,000 seized from the Surinamese men during a police operation near Half Way Tree in St. Andrew in 2015.
The exchange was caught on tape.
During Friday’s sentencing hearing in the St. Andrew Parish Court, Ms Grange, who was giving character testimony, described Dr. Ford as a longstanding friend, despite the fact that they support opposing political parties.
She urged Parish Judge Simone Wolfe Reece not to imprison the physician as, according to her, this would be traumatic for scores of people who rely heavily on him in various communities across Jamaica for medical attention.
Ms Grange said Dr. Ford, a former People’s National Party caretaker, has been her physician for more than 27 years, someone who helped her mother and other close friends who have been diagnosed with cancer.
She told the court that Dr. Ford is a well known philanthropist.
Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Garnett Daley also gave character testimony on behalf of Dr. Ford.
The sentencing hearing continues on November 2.
Him do the crime, him must do the time. He’s not above the law. Babsy need fi guh see about her own business the children need more facilities for performing arts especially in the inner cities.
Dem political figures sick mi stomach.
There are other doctors in Jamaica that can do what he’s doing if not better.
Smh
This is why Jamdung nahn guh survive
Dis is why de corruption a yawd can never end. One bigwig a defend anadda bigwig. So, if dem (Babsy and de corrupted Doctor) who have top level positions a gwaan wid dem almshouse ting, den nuh de same ting de likkle man a de lower level a go do?
Unnu figet baby name was on the area leader car title ???? Nothing these politicians do surprise me
Bunman hope him name from Spain twn.