Former insurance Executive to face High Court in CLICO theft case

Former CLICO Chairman Leroy Coleridge Parris has to face a judge and jury for his alleged theft of more than $3 million from the insurance company and other related charges.

On Thursday, Magistrate Manila Renee committed the 77-year-old of Dayrells Heights, St Michael to stand trial before the High Court, despite legal arguments by his attorneys Hal Gollop KC and Neil Marshall. 

Parris is accused of stealing $3.33 million belonging to CLICO International Life Insurance Limited, between December 1, 2008, and April 27, 2009.

He is further charged with conspiring with other persons to defraud CLICO International Life Insurance Limited of the same amount by inducing the insurance company to pay out the money to Thompson and Associates.

The former insurance executive is also charged that between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2010, he conspired with others to cheat the Crown and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue of public revenue by failing to submit tax returns to the Commissioner or account to the said Commissioner for taxes on his income for the year ending March 31, 2010.

It is also alleged that between December 1, 2008, and April 27, 2009, he engaged in money laundering in that he concealed $3.33 million, the proceeds of crime.

The charges are indictable.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Trevor Blackman was the prosecutor in the case.

When the charges were put to Parris during the committal process, he replied: “I maintain my innocence of all charges.”

He has been on $1.5 million bail since his first appearance before the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court in June 2020. He reports to the Glebe Police Station every Friday before 6 p.m.

Parris will make his next court appearance before Magistrate Renee on Monday when the committal process is to be finalised.