In March of 2024, it was huge news when prominent political figure and attorney OJ Elrington was charged for two counts of rape - but tonight, his legal saga is over; the charge has been withdrawn.
The charge stemmed from an alleged incident that took place in January of 2024 involving two women he had met at the Thirsty Thursdays nightclub and invited to his home.
Elrington proceeded to trial in the high court in February of this year - with the DPP Cheryl Lynne Vidal herself prosecuting. But that trial ended today before it could really begin.
That's because all charges were withdrawn against him today. Jomarie Lanza was at the High Court:
The DPP Cheryl Lynn Vidal, the accused Orson J Elrington and his attorney Alifah Ellington came to the high court at 11:00 this morning for what was all but a forgone conclusion. Hours earlier 7News had confirmed that the DPP would enter into a nolle prosequi motion and when they went to court, that's exactly what happened in a session that took less than 3 minutes where Elrington was advised that the charge was withdrawn. Outside the court Elrington expressed his relief.
Orson J Elrington
"This has been the most difficult and darkest period in my life. I must thank secondly my legal team, my learned friend Alifah, senior counsel Wilfred Elrington."
"I, of course I feel a sense of immense relief because again this as I said is a burden that you carry every single day you know, I am a practitioner before the courts."
"While I know the law and I thought there was absolutely no way grounded in law that would be able to support a guilty verdict in this matter, we are dealing with courts we are dealing with humans and so they are not infallible so that of course there is some level of anxiety, but again I have trust in the justice system, I have trust in my legal team and the number of persons who supported us."
For his attorney she is satisfied with the outcome but says justice was still not served.
Alifah Elrington, Attorney
"While I believe that this matter should not have been brought before the court from its inception, I feel slightly cheated because at the end of the day what we were fighting for was for what transpired to come out, and for the truth to come out. At this point point in time even though some would say it is vindication for Mr Elrington if we look back over the last 2 years and we look at the things that have been said in the media the statements that have been made against Mr Elrington it cannot be a vindication because the facts have not come out the truth have not come out and so this is the difficulty that I have. We will take it, we will take it because we don't believe it should have been brought before the court from the inception."
"So it cannot be that he has received justice because the information that would have vindicated him did not come out to the public."
But did the prosecution withdraw because the victims had cold feet? Elrington says that's a question for the office of the DPP
Jules Vasquez
"Might that though have had an intimidatory or chilling effect on the witness knowing that the defense is seeking to have them visualized and cross examined in open court?"
Alifah Elrington, Attorney
"If that had a chilling effect on the victim Jules that is not my responsibility. My responsibility is to fight vigorously for my client to defend my client to the best of my ability. Persons would have known me as a prosecutor. I prosecuted cases to the best of my ability and I defend cases to the best of my ability. What is the situation with the victim is for the office of the DPP. And the office of the DPP should have ensured that the victim knew this was a possibility and did what they needed to do to ensure that the victim was secure enough to come and testify. However I do not believe that, that is what intimated this victim. I do not believe and if the facts had come out like we wanted the facts to come out, I am sure persons would understand why the victim did not. Well I can't say the victim did not but persons would understand why they are entering a nolle prosequi at this point in time."
