.png)
A report from Racquel Porter
The prosecution in the six-year-old fraud case against former education minister Ruel Reid and his co-accused called its first witness Thursday morning, but not without another attempt by the defence to void the trial.
The $25 million fraud case involves Mr. Reid, his wife Sharen, their daughter Sharelle, former Caribbean Maritime University (CMU) president Professor Fritz Pinnock and JLP Councillor Kim Brown-Lawrence.
All five accused are facing charges of conspiracy to defraud.
Mr. Reid and Mr. Pinnock are also charged with acts of corruption.
Mr. Reid, his wife, daughter and Mrs. Brown-Lawrence, are charged with acquiring and handling criminal property.
They are also accused of participating in arrangements to retain those assets.
During evidence in chief, the first witness, the brother of Mr. Reid's now-deceased driver, testified that his sibling died a year after Mr. Reid was charged in 2019.
A photocopy of the driver's funeral programme was admitted into evidence as Exhibit 1.
However, shortly after the testimony concluded, defence attorney Hugh Wildman, who represents Mr. Pinnock, objected to the continuation of the trial.
Mr. Wildman argued that the indictment only formally names two of the five accused - Mr. Pinnock and Mr. Reid - and therefore the trial against the remaining three is a legal nullity.
Mr. Wildman told the court, "this cannot be cured" and that the trial has commenced on an order that does not exist.
The lead prosecutor strongly rejected that claim, stating that this is a single joint trial and all accused persons are lawfully before the court.
She noted that the 35-count indictment, supported by at least 15 pieces of information, all reference the various accused.
The prosecutor pointed out that all three ladies are covered by virtue of reference in the indictment they were charged.
Senior Parish Court Judge Sanchia Burrell is expected to rule on the validity of the trial on Friday.
comments powered by Disqus
All feeds
