Judge Asked to Recuse Herself from Gibson Trial

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The judge assigned to hear the corruption trial of Free National Movement Member of Parliament Adrian Gibson has been asked to step down because her late husband once served as a Progressive Liberal Party Cabinet minister. 

Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, the widow of Peter Bethell, who died from cancer two decades ago, will preside over Gibson’s case if she does not accept the recusal application.

Gibson is accused of enriching himself through the grant of contracts to the Water and Sewerage Corporation while serving as its executive chairman from 2018 to 2021.

Gibson and his alleged coconspirators, Elwood Donaldson, the corporation’s former general manager; his cousin, Rashae Gibson,  his campaign general Joann Knowles, Peaches Farquharson and Jerome Missick, denied charges of bribery, fraud and money laundering at their arraignment before Senior Justice Bernard Turner on Friday.

When Turner said the matter would be heard by Grant-Thompson,  Murrio Ducille, KC, who represents MP Gibson, Knowles and Missick, said he would prefer if another judge presided over the case.

Ducille formally made the recusal application on Tuesday when the parties appeared before Grant-Thompson for a trial date to be fixed.

Ducille said he was not suggesting that Grant-Thompson was unfit to hear the case, but if she presided over the matter case there would be a “perception of bias” due to the political affiliation of her deceased husband.

Grant-Thompson is set to give her decision on the recusal application at 11am on Thursday.