By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prominent attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington, 43, walked free from two counts of rape on Tuesday morning after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, bringing the case against him to an abrupt end in the High Court.
Elrington appeared before Justice Nigel Pilgrim when the matter concluded unexpectedly after the prosecution discontinued the case.
The development came just hours before Justice Pilgrim was scheduled to deliver a ruling on whether the rape trial should proceed in open court or “in camera,” meaning a closed court hearing. Arguments on that issue had been made by the Crown and defense the week before.
However, two hours before the judge was set to deliver his decision at 11:00 a.m., the DPP entered the nolle prosequi. Court documents were reportedly served on Elrington at around 9:00 a.m., effectively releasing him from answering to the charges.
When the matter resumed at 11:00 a.m., Justice Pilgrim did not deliver the ruling he had prepared. Instead, he asked the defense whether they still wished for the decision to be read despite the discontinuance of the case. The defense declined, and the written ruling was never disclosed in court.
The rape allegations against Elrington first surfaced in December 2023, and he was formally charged in January 2024. The case had been scheduled to proceed to trial before Justice Pilgrim, sitting as both judge of the law and the facts in a trial by judge alone.
Outside the courtroom, Alifah Elrington, one of the attorneys representing Elrington, addressed the media, stating that while the case had been discontinued, the outcome did not feel like a vindication for her client.
“Whilst I believe this matter should never have been brought before the court from the inception, I feel cheated because at the end of the day what we were fighting for was for the truth to come out,” she said.
Alifah noted that the defense had strongly argued for the matter to be heard in open court, emphasizing that her client had a constitutional right to a public trial and to fully confront the allegations made against him.
She added that despite the charges being dropped, the stigma associated with rape allegations remains.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Cheryl-Lynn Vidal, personally appeared for the Crown and entered the nolle prosequi but did not provide any public explanation for the decision.
As a result of the discontinuance, Elrington will not face trial in the matter, and the case has effectively come to an end before evidence could be heard in court.
The post Attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington walks free of rape charges after DPP unexpectedly discontinues case appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prominent attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington, 43, walked free from two counts of rape on Tuesday morning after the Director of Public Prosecutions entered a nolle prosequi, bringing the case against him to an abrupt end in the High Court. Elrington appeared before Justice Nigel Pilgrim when the matter concluded unexpectedly
The post Attorney Orson “OJ” Elrington walks free of rape charges after DPP unexpectedly discontinues case appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
