Declaring that “sometimes witchcraft works and sometimes it doesn’t”, Petular Henry on Tuesday claimed that the woman accusing her of theft had readily handed over money for her to “provide a service” but then accused her of stealing when the service “wasn’t working”.
Henry insisted the money was given to her and not stolen, when she gave an unsworn statement in the dock of the No. 5 Supreme Court.
The Chase Gap, Halls Road, St Michael resident is charged jointly with Noel Lionel Taylor of Maxwell Top Road, Christ Church, and Sabina Isaie John of Grosvenor Road, Carrington Village, St Michael, with 11 charges of theft, money laundering and forgery.
They allegedly stole $21 690 in cash, six rings, two bangles, one chain and one pair of earrings valued at $2 995 belonging to Cynthia St Juste; and one chain with pendant and four pairs of earrings valued at $459 belonging to Helen St Juste. They are also charged with disposing of the cash and jewellery, being the proceeds of theft, between March 27, 2018, and June 7, 2018.
Other charges are that between May 18, 2018, and June 7, 2018, with intent to defraud Republic Bank Barbados Limited, they presented a job letter and three payslips bearing the letterhead 2 Advanced Electronics, knowing the same to be forged; that with intent to defraud Republic Bank Barbados Limited, they presented three credit union statements bearing the letterhead Barbados Public Workers Cooperative Credit Union Limited, knowing the same to be forged; that with intent to defraud Republic Bank Barbados Limited, they presented one estimate bearing the letterhead Advanced Electronics (1992), knowing the same to be forged; and that with intent to defraud Republic Bank Barbados Limited, they presented a telephone bill bearing the letterhead FLOW, knowing the same to be forged.
The three are also accused of stealing $300 in cash belonging to Cynthia St Juste on March 27, 2018, and disposing of the money, being the proceeds of theft, between March 27, 2018 and June 7, 2018.
Henry claimed that the complainant Cynthia St Juste “readily gave the monies to provide a service for her, but when it wasn’t working, she said I stole from her.”
“We are all Lucians together, and we know sometimes witchcraft works and sometimes it doesn’t work. I am letting the court know that she gave the money for a service to (find out) whoever took the meeting money she had at her house. She also wanted her then-boyfriend to be seeing her alone and no other woman,” she stated.
Henry further testified that she took the job as a favour for a ‘Mr Cox’, who had directed her to call the complainant and claim to be a woman called ‘Rosita’ from Haiti.
“I never told Ms St Juste anything to frighten her, only the reading the gentleman told me to tell her,” the accused added.
She also admitted that she had given John jewellery to sell.
“From the first day I was arrested, the officers told me that my friend Sabina Isaie was not a good friend as she was the mastermind behind everything, so I used that to my advantage because I was really jealous of her because she had everything going for her. I used to hear, ‘It was Sabina,’ and I never had the opportunity to tell the truth. It was when I went to jail, and I saw her that I felt so sorry because she didn’t belong there. I never gave her money, but I gave her jewellery. I always put the jewellery somewhere for her to pick up. I told her to sell them, but she pawned them,” Henry said.
At that point, John interjected tearfully, asking the court that Henry’s testimony be halted.
When Madam Justice Pamela Beckles told Henry to continue, the accused asked the court for leniency and time to pay back St Juste, noting that she had never been in trouble with the courts before.
Earlier in the proceedings, John also gave testimony from the dock, stating that while she felt bad about what happened to St Juste, she was innocent and knew nothing about the money laundering and theft charges.
The third accused, Taylor, testified on the witness stand. When questioned by Principal State Counsel Olivia Davis who is prosecuting the case, he denied preparing fraudulent documents, giving them to the virtual complainant or knowing of any scheme to use those documents to secure a loan from the bank. He also denied that he attempted to defraud Republic Bank.
Admitting that he had told the police he received $300 from John, he said the funds did not pertain to St Juste.
The accused are all self-represented.
The matter was adjourned until April 2 when the accused will give their closing addresses.
