Levy transferred Island Lubes truck to his company days after exit, court told
Published:Saturday | January 8, 2022 | 12:06 AMTanesha Mundle/Staff Reporter
Former Island Lubes Distributors Limited director John Levy reportedly transferred a motor truck to a company in which he and his wife, Donna, is a director and shareholder, two days after he was asked to step down from his post as director of Island Lubes’ parent company, West Indies Petroleum Limited (WIPL).
In the allegations that were outlined in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court on Thursday, it was also disclosed that the Isuzu motor truck was valued at $2 million.
Levy, who was one of the founding members of the distribution company, had resigned along with the other directors when the company was sold to WIPL in 2019, the court heard.
He then became a director and shareholder in WIPL. However, Levy and two other Island Lubes founding directors, including Courtney Wilkinson, reportedly had a dispute with WIPL and a decision was taken to remove Levy and Wilkinson as directors in February 2021.
It is alleged that after the severance, Levy, purporting to act as a director of the distributing company, signed a transfer for the motor truck to Spirits Fuel. It is also alleged that his wife also signed the transfer on behalf of Spirits Fuel.
The prosecution is, however, alleging that Levy was not approved or authorised to make the transfer, nor had any right to the motor vehicle.
When the couple appeared in court on Thursday, attorney-at-law Walter Scott said that he would be prosecuting the matter with Demetrie Adams on a fiat from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
He further informed the court that the file was incomplete as several statements were outstanding.
A mention date has been set for March 31.
The bail of both accused was extended.
The 59-year-old businessman is charged with forgery, fraud by a director, conspiracy to defraud, simple larceny, larceny of a motor vehicle, creating public mischief, and receiving stolen property.
Donna, 56, is facing charges of conspiracy to defraud, larceny of a motor vehicle, and receiving stolen property.
Levy and Courtney Wilkinson have been embroiled in a legal battle with WIPL and its subsidiary, Island Lubes.
Both directors were removed from their positions following allegations of unauthorised access to the electronic communication of two of WIPL’s current board directors.
Following their removal from WIPL’s board, Levy and Wilkinson established and became directors of two new companies that reportedly sought to compete with WIPL and Island Lubes in petroleum distribution and the supply of lubricants and other products.