Former state minister and Senator, Kern Spencer, is hugged by two women as he left the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court in March. - File

THE CUBAN light-bulb spotlight will today be refocused on North East St Elizabeth Member of Parliament (MP) Kern Spencer and his co-accused, Rodney Chin and Coleen Wright, when they return to the Corporate Area Resident Magistrate's Court. Criminal charges against them are expected to be mentioned today.

Despite being arrested on February 25, and police having read out several charges against them, the Crown is yet to tell the court about the crime for which they have been accused. Nine charges have been read out against Spencer, four against Chin and six against Wright.

Charges

Spencer, a member of the Opposition People's National Party (PNP), has been accused of fraud and money-laundering. Wright and Chin face similar charges.

When they last appeared in court seven weeks ago, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Paula Llewellyn told Resident Magistrate Glenn Brown that the Crown was not in a position to mention the charges against the three.

"The material is very voluminous and we have to be very detailed," the DPP told the court in providing justification for a request for another mention date.

Criminal investigations intensified in the Cuban light bulb scandal. The project, for which Spencer exercised ministerial oversight when the PNP held state power, racked up an alleged cost of $276 million.