Woman steals $5 million from boss

A 37-year-old woman is expected to make full restitution of $5 million to her former employer, after she took money from her then employer and transferred it to her father's account.

The prosecution contends that in March 2022, the defendant, Davana Downer, gained access to the complainant's computer and made a bank transfer of $5,690,000 from the complainant's account to her father's account. Downer's father is not employed by the complainant. Sometime thereafter, Downer visited ATMs and made withdrawals. An investigation led by the Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency uncovered the theft.

"This lady shouldn't be on bail. A company is out $5 million. You know what that does to a company? People have to get fired, the company is going through it," Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell stated. She was perturbed that Downer, who was first brought before the court in 2023, was seeking to engage in a trial. "Why is this matter going to trial? What are we trying? This lady came here to play, she came here to play with her liberty. It's either eggs or young ones today, too much tief inna town man," the judge remarked, expressing that Downer needed to enter a plea.

The mother of one is charged on an indictment for possession of criminal property, access with intent to commit or facilitate the commission of an offence, and larceny as a servant. She pleaded guilty to all three counts. Attorney-at-law Odane Marston submitted on his client's behalf that another mention date be agreed to allow Downer the opportunity to make restitution. The submission was reluctantly accepted and Downer, who made a payment of $100,000 in court on Tuesday, is to return on November 22 with $3 million for additional payment.

Burrell requested a social enquiry report as well as the defendant's antecedents to be provided at the next court date.