BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AMIT ‘Alex’ SAHAJWALA chose to take the witness box yesterday (June 23) and told the court that he had put the company’s money in his pocket because he was very busy concentrating on making sales.
Sahajwala is charged for embezzling a sum of money from his place of employ, Jewel Palace located at Port Zante, sometime during December 2008 and March 2009 while he was the manager of that entity.
The accused is represented by Senior Counsels Dr. Henry Browne and Hesketh Benjamin while the Director of Public Prosecution, Paulina Hendrickson, is lead prosecutor in the matter.
The prosecution rested its case yesterday and the defence made a no case submission that was dismissed by His Lordship Justice Errol Thomas.
Sahajwala said that on March 9, 2009 while he was at the store with the general manager, two police officers walked in and told him they were making inquiries into a report.
He said a few minutes later Kheskwani walked into the store with his wife.
The accused denied telling the police or Kheskwani that he only took US$3 805.
He said that he gave them the money that was in his pocket when asked if he had any of the company’s money.
He said he gave them US$930 and EC$270 and told them that EC$100 had belonged to him.
The accused told the court that he had placeed the company’s money in his pocket because the store was busy and he wanted to concentrate on getting sales.
He also said that he was the only Indian in the store and that it was his job to protect the money for his boss.
When the Sahajwala was cross-examined by the DPP, he told her that the reason why he did not put the money in the cash register was because someone might have stolen it.
The DPP also inquired about a camera which was in his possession that he said was a gift from Kheskwani in January 2009.
He was also questioned about a camera he sold to one of the employees at a cost of EC$375 instead of EC$500.
The accused was asked why he told the employee not to take the camera to work or why he did not give her a receipt, to which he said that he did not want all the employees to come asking for the same discount.
The case began on June 21 and the prosecution witnesses who gave evidence were two sales clerks of Jewel Palace, a general manager, two police officers, the manufacturer of KK Jewellers Inc. who owns Jewel Palace and Diamond Bizarre that are located at Port Zante, and a sales clerk from Diamond Bizarre.
The prosecution alleged that on March 9, 2009, police officers went to inquire about a report at Jewel Palace that was made by the manufacturer, who alleged that the accused had taken US$930 and EC$270 of the company’s money out of his pocket.
The prosecution also alleged that when the accused was told of the police inquiries he said he only took EU$3 805.
The case continued this morning with the closing arguments by the prosecution and defence after which Justice Thomas will address the jury before they are empanelled.
