BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – A former bailiff of the Basseterre Magistrate’s Court appeared today (Jul. 14) in the Basseterre High Court before Justice Francis Belle, charged with larceny and embezzlement.
The case began on Monday and the prosecution alleged that on January 24, 2005, Talbert Warner of St. Pauls Village received EC$2,004.55 from Venette Tyrell-Andrews as part of his duties as a bailiff.
Tyrell-Andrews was the first witness called by the prosecution. She testified that she had received a letter stating that she owed some monies and needed to pay up immediately or she would be arrested.
Tyrell-Andrews said she immediately went to the Magistrate’s Court and paid the sum of EC$2,004.55 to Warner, who issued her a receipt. It was however revealed that the receipt was not written from a book issued by the government.
Sarah Lawrence, a Senior Clark in the Magistrate’s Court, told the court that one of her duties is to issue warrants to bailiffs, who would go out and collect money on behalf of the government. She also explained that the government collects money on behalf of persons to whom money is owed.
She further told the court that the receipt issued to Tyrell-Andrews by Warner was not an official document because it had no revenue stamp on it.
Inspector Franklin Belgrove of the Criminal Investigation Department was the next witness to take the stand. He told the court that at about 8:30 a.m. on April 28, 2006 he went to the Magistrate Court’s office and spoke with District ‘A’ Magistrate Josephine Mallalieu-Webbe and Lawrence concerning a report made to the police against the bailiff.
He said that around 11:10 a.m. on the same day, he and a number of police officers went to the accused St. Pauls’ home but he was not there.
Belgrove said they later revisited Lawrence’s home with a warrant and while searching his living room they found two receipt books among other documents on his space saver. They took possession of the books and asked the accused to whom they belong, and he responded, “Me”.
Belgrove also told the court that one of the books, titled “Prestige”, had a receipt stump marked 8104, which was the same number on the receipt that was given to Andrews.
Warner’s lawyer, Angela Inniss, made a no case submission, stating that the prosecution failed to establish the element of embezzlement. However, his Lordship upheld the matter and said that the case would be left up to the jury to decide on whether the accused is innocent or guilty.
