Tweet
Decision on continuation of Operation Pride fraud case expected Monday
The country will know later Monday whether government prosecutors will be pursuing the fraud case against Danhai Williams and six co-accused in the National Housing Development Corporation/Operation Pride scandal.
Three weeks ago government prosecutors were forced to request an adjournment, after claiming they could not find two key witnesses.
Senior government prosecutor Lisa Palmer told the magistrate that the Crown is trying to prevent the case from collapsing and would report back Monday whether the case can go forward without the witnesses.
She conceded that the case would be difficult to try without the witnesses Lloyd McLean and Gerald Tobias.
Mr. McLean an engineer, and Mr. Tobias a quantity surveyor, were both employed to the NHDC.
They are considered crucial to the Crown's case as they are reported to have been the persons who signed off on NHDC/Operation Pride projects.
The men's presence would be needed at the trial in order to identify signatures and documents involved in the case.
Danhai Williams and the six accused were arrested and charged in October 2003 following a one-year probe into allegations of financial irregularities in NHDC/Operation Pride projects.
They are accused of defrauding the Corporation of $451 million.
Mr. Williams is charged with 87 counts of fraud.
The other accused are financial controller of Danwills Construction Karl Kirkland; former NHDC's Director of Technical Services, Warren Sibbles and former Project Manager of the NHDC, Donovan Hill.
The other accused are Eugenny Porter; Wayne Nash and Dwight Dawkins who were all Presidents of various Provident Societies.
The country will know later Monday whether government prosecutors will be pursuing the fraud case against Danhai Williams and six co-accused in the National Housing Development Corporation/Operation Pride scandal.
Three weeks ago government prosecutors were forced to request an adjournment, after claiming they could not find two key witnesses.
Senior government prosecutor Lisa Palmer told the magistrate that the Crown is trying to prevent the case from collapsing and would report back Monday whether the case can go forward without the witnesses.
She conceded that the case would be difficult to try without the witnesses Lloyd McLean and Gerald Tobias.
Mr. McLean an engineer, and Mr. Tobias a quantity surveyor, were both employed to the NHDC.
They are considered crucial to the Crown's case as they are reported to have been the persons who signed off on NHDC/Operation Pride projects.
The men's presence would be needed at the trial in order to identify signatures and documents involved in the case.
Danhai Williams and the six accused were arrested and charged in October 2003 following a one-year probe into allegations of financial irregularities in NHDC/Operation Pride projects.
They are accused of defrauding the Corporation of $451 million.
Mr. Williams is charged with 87 counts of fraud.
The other accused are financial controller of Danwills Construction Karl Kirkland; former NHDC's Director of Technical Services, Warren Sibbles and former Project Manager of the NHDC, Donovan Hill.
The other accused are Eugenny Porter; Wayne Nash and Dwight Dawkins who were all Presidents of various Provident Societies.
Comment