BASSETERRE, St. Kitts, January 25th 2011 – THE prosecution team led by Crown Counsel Garth Wilkin in the case involving Mandero Roberts, Amare Browne and Esha Browne, who were jointly charged with fraud and conspiracy to defraud, rested its case yesterday (Jan. 24).
The case began on Wednesday (Jan. 19), one day after the opening of the new criminal assizes at the Basseterre High Court, and is presided over by His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas.
Roberts is represented by Dr. Henry Browne and Hesketh Benjamin while Esha Browne is represented by Chesley Hamilton and Amare is self-represented.
The prosecution’s final witnesses who gave evidence yesterday (Jan. 24) were Woman Police Constable Dion Dias, Surveillance Shift Manager Jermaine Lee Vanterpool and Corporal Oral Liburd.
Dias, who is based at the Frigate Bay Police Station, said she knew the accused, Amare Browne.
She also said that she was present when Browne was told that he had obtained credit by fraud, and that Liburd had cautioned and informed him of his rights to a counsel.
Dias also told the court that the accused said he wanted to make a statement, which he dictated and the Corporal wrote. On completion of the statement, it was read to him and he was invited to make corrections or additions, but there was none.
Dias added that she and the Corporal also affixed their signatures to the statement.
During cross-examination, Dias was asked if Browne was denied a counsel and she said he did not ask for one.
The next witness was Vanterpool, who said that part of his duties as Surveillance Shift Manager is to observe, record and report all happenings in the casino and to protect the assets of the establishment as well as its patrons.
Vanterpool said that he saw the incident on a video and recorded it onto a CD along with an occurrence report. He explained that an occurrence report is one generated by surveillance personnel with pertinent incidents observed or reviewed.
Vanterpool told the court that three years ago he was trained by a secret service agent and a security manager and he would receive materials that keeps him up to date.
The final witness called was corporal Liburd, who said that on February 10, 2009 he spoke to Amare at the Frigate Bay Police Station and told him that he was making inquiries into an alleged report of him and others defrauding the casino. He also stated that he took a statement from the accused, which was read in the court.
According to the statement, Amare who was a Bar Porter at the casino, said that he went to work on the said date in question at about 7:30 p.m. and was told that someone wanted to exchange some monies.
Liburd said that Amare showed the person where they could exchange the monies and that he later found out it was counterfeit.
The defence will decide today (Jan. 25) how they will respond to the allegations.
