St Elizabeth MP Zuleika Jess and driver fined after pleading guilty to traffic offences

St Elizabeth North Eastern Member of Parliament Zuleika Jess and her driver, Derrick Facey, were today each fined thousands of dollars in the St Elizabeth Parish Court in Balaclava after pleading guilty to traffic offences.

Jess pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the use of a motor vehicle without insurance and aiding and abetting the use of a motor vehicle without a valid certificate of fitness and was fined a total of $35,000.

Facey pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle without insurance, operating a motor vehicle without a certificate of fitness, and using a cellular phone while driving, and was fined a total of $55,000.

The charges stem from a March 31 traffic stop along Main Street in Santa Cruz.

The Gleaner understands that Facey was initially stopped by police and issued a ticket before being intercepted by another police team and found using a cellular phone while driving.

He was subsequently charged.

Jess, as the owner of the vehicle, was later served with summonses and charged.

The case drew attention in St Elizabeth following a Facebook post by Jess in which she alleged that her driver was subjected to disrespectful treatment by police officers during an encounter in Santa Cruz.

- Corey Robinson

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