‘Loose ends’ hold up case against 11 on fraud charges

The case against 11 men charged with defrauding Parliament of close to $270,000 was unable to start yesterday after the prosecution indicated “loose ends” were yet to be tied up. Danny Lutchman, Irwin Francois, Ian Williams, Chema Mark, Kenrick Davis, Richard Simeon, Keion Fraser, Joel Augustine, Ulric Davis, William Letren and Waihung Low reappeared before Magistrate Marcia Murray in the Port-of-Spain First Court to answer the charges, laid in January last year.

Court prosecutor Sgt Callister Charles told the magistrate, after speaking with the complainant, Sgt Dipchand of the Fraud Squad, no state attorney had yet been appointed. The 11 are charged that during the period July 1, 2010 and November 30, 2010 they conspired to defraud the Office of the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago, by falsely pretending to be employed with constituency offices in La Brea, Princes Town, San Fernando, Couva South, St Augustine and Diego Martin and receiving monthly salaries totalling $269,938.43. At the time the charge was laid, Lutchman was a parliamentary payroll clerk with responsibility for preparing payroll sheets for Red House staff. The matter was adjourned to October 4.