A hearing was held before Governor Boyd McCleary Friday in relation to the ordered deportation of businessman Desmond “DA” Alphonso, according to Emma Dean, staff officer in the Governor’s Office, who declined to provide further details.
Mr. Alphonso, a native of Guyana who has resided in the Virgin Islands since he was 14 months old, pleaded guilty in 2008 to the charge of assisting offenders, and spent more than three years in Her Majesty’s Prison, including time on remand awaiting trial. He admitted to helping Christopher “Marlon” Bailey, Dennis “Soupy” Campbell and Andrew “Ratty” Milton elude police in October 2006, when the three Jamaicans were wanted for the murder of Dorcas Rhule.
After Mr. Alphonso was released from prison, he was served a deportation order dated March 26, 2010 and signed by then-Governor David Pearey. The law gave Mr. Alphonso the right to appeal the deportation, though the appeal was to be heard by the governor, who issued the initial order.
Mr. Alphonso filed such an appeal on April 1, 2010. He also filed suit in the High Court, challenging the constitutionality of the appeal procedure. Specifically, he argued that the governor may not be impartial when hearing a challenge to his own order. The appeal procedure was stayed pending the resolution of his suit.
See the May 26, 2011 edition for full coverage.