On 21 January 2016, The Daily Telegraph reported that the High Court had ordered Philip Hammond, the British Foreign Secretary to certify whether Juffali had been formally accepted by the UK as a diplomat representing St Lucia, as his ex-wife's lawyer stated that Juffali had never attended an IMO meeting.[22] The judge lifted restrictions on reporting his ex-wife's claim that Juffali was seriously ill with cancer in a Swiss hospital since, if he were to die before the case is concluded, her claim would become irrelevant, and she and their daughter would receive no further monthly payments.[23]