Verdict in Petrojam fraud case set for December 10

Senior Parish Judge Maxine Ellis is to deliver her summation and verdict on December 10 in the case of the two former Petrojam executives who are charged with defrauding the state-owned petroleum company of more than $10 million.

They are former general manager Floyd Grindley and former board chairman Dr Percival Singh.

Singh is accused of submitting claims amounting to US$73,000 for overseas travels he allegedly did not make.

Grindley is accused of aiding and an abetting Singh to process the claims.

It is alleged that the reimbursement claims were made between December 2016 and May 2018.

The trial began in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court in May 2022.

The accused men had given unsworn statements from the dock and insisted that they were innocent.

After hearing submissions from King's Counsel KD Knight and attorney-at-law Bianca Samuels, who are representing Grindley, and attorneys-at-law Bert Samuels and Matthew Hyatt, who are representing Singh, the judge reserved her decision yesterday until December 10. 

King's Counsel Caroline Hay prosecuted the case on a fiat from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

In her submissions, she opposed the submissions of the defence lawyers for the men to be acquitted.

- Barbara Gayle

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