Jamaica’s anti-corruption watchdog, the Integrity Commission (IC), has a new acting head of corruption prosecution, following the early resignation of former director Roneiph Lawrence. Veteran prosecutor Kelly-Ann Murdock officially took up the role in a swearing-in ceremony held Tuesday, March 31, where Jamaica’s Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen administered the oath of office. The appointment was announced publicly this Monday via the Governor-General’s official Instagram account.
In the official announcement post, the Governor-General extended his warm well wishes to Murdock as she embarks on her new leadership tenure. He emphasized that the role Murdock steps into plays an irreplaceable part in protecting institutional integrity and enforcing accountability across Jamaica’s national justice framework.
Murdock’s appointment fills the vacancy left by Lawrence, who stepped down from the post last month to accept an appointment as a domestic judge in Jamaica. Lawrence’s tenure in the same role was marked by political controversy from the start: when he was appointed to the position in 2023, Jamaica’s ruling Jamaica Labour Party raised formal objections over his long-standing personal friendship with Dr Dayton Campbell, General Secretary of the opposition People’s National Party (PNP).
According to public profiles published on the IC’s official website, Murdock brings a wealth of specialized prosecutorial experience to the role, built over years of service across Jamaica’s justice system and the broader Caribbean region. She previously held multiple senior roles at Jamaica’s Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), including legal advisor to the Director of Public Prosecutions, crown counsel, and Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions. Beyond Jamaica’s borders, Murdock also served as a prosecuting attorney in the Turks and Caicos Islands, gaining hands-on regional legal experience that the IC highlights as a valuable asset for her new role.
Murdock’s professional legal credentials date back to December 2016, when she was formally admitted to the Jamaican Bar. Her academic background spans multiple top institutions across the Caribbean and North America: she earned a Bachelor of Science in both International Relations and Criminology from the University of the West Indies’ Mona Campus, followed by a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of the West Indies’ Cave Hill Campus. She completed her foundational legal training with a Certificate in Legal Education from Jamaica’s Norman Manley Law School, and later pursued advanced professional development in project management and strategic leadership at Lambton College in Toronto, Canada.
Over the course of her legal career, Murdock has overseen a wide portfolio of high-stakes, complex criminal cases, including many matters of major public interest, per the IC’s statement. The commission notes she contributed to the preparation of several landmark prosecutions, including work on what the IC describes as “one of the largest gang trials in Jamaica” — the commission did not release further details or identify the specific case in its public announcement.
In a formal statement outlining Murdock’s appointment, the IC reaffirmed her commitment to core institutional values: “Mrs Murdock is committed to upholding the rule of law, strengthening public trust and advancing the principles of accountability, transparency and integrity in public service.”