Accused says no evidence connecting him to fraud case

One of the accused in a money laundering, theft and forgery trial is adamant that there is no evidence linking him to those crimes.

Making his closing arguments on Monday in the No. 5 Supreme Court, Noel Lionel Taylor of Maxwell Top Road, Christ Church argued that the prosecution had failed to produce any forensic or confessional evidence relating to the 11 charges he is facing.

“Remember, the accused man has nothing to prove. The accused, Noel Taylor, was never placed on an identification parade. The accused man never gave a confessional statement to the police. The accused, Noel Taylor, never had any forensic evidence linking him to any of the charges before the court . . . . The prosecution has failed to prove any evidence against Noel Taylor,” the accused said.

Taylor, along with Sabina Isaie, also known as Sabina John, of Grosvenor Road, Carrington Village, St Michael, and Petular Henry of Chase Gap, Halls Road, St Michael are accused of stealing $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, 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.

In addition, the three are accused of stealing $300 in cash belonging to Cynthia St Juste on March 27, 2018, and disposing of the money, the proceeds of theft, between March 27, 2018 and June 7, 2018.

Meanwhile, Isaie and Henry maintained that there was no theft involved, insisting that St Juste had paid for an obeah service.

“There was no theft involved, but when she realised that some of the obeah she paid for wasn’t working, she cried out wolf and considered us as ones who tief her money,” said Isaie.

Admitting that she had received jewellery from Henry, she added that she had no idea that those pieces did not belong to her “best friend”.

“To be honest, if I had to do any kind of money laundering or any kind of obeah, I would be in a better place, and my children would be in a better place,” Isaie added.

Telling the court that she was willing to repay the virtual complainant if necessary, Henry insisted that the complainant had paid for a service and no money was stolen from her.

“I never appropriated money from Cynthia St Juste. She willingly paid and brought the money for services. When she ran out of money, she made the decision to use her jewellery. I never made her do anything she didn’t want to do,” she stated.

Madam Justice Pamela Beckles will deliver her summation of the trial on April 9.