Investigator slammed for delays in $5M embezzlement case

An investigating officer was reprimanded and given strict instructions to complete a file within a week's time, forcing the postponement of a bail application for a man who has been in custody since September 23.

Senior Parish Judge Sanchia Burrell expressed her discontent with the incomplete files, as the accused, Jermaine Francis, has spent more than 14 days in custody. Francis is before the court for allegedly embezzling $5 million. The allegations, as outlined by prosecutors, state that Francis was employed as a bearer by the complainant, and between December 4 and 5, 2023 he was directed to collect funds from three customers on the complainant's behalf. Francis, the court heard, pocketed the sums for himself. The investigator informed the senior judge that the case file is not yet complete as he has not yet collected the statements from the persons who handed over monies to Francis.

"How can you have a man in custody and yet critical statements are still outstanding? The officer has to have the statements on file next week. I am not entertaining this foolishness; it is an injustice. I am giving you one week to bring the statements, and it cannot be handed to the clerk of court five minutes before the court. The clerk needs to be aware of the statements to properly respond to a bail application," Burrell said.

"But why is he in custody? Why wasn't he offered station bail by the police? Anyone of us can end up in the prisoner's dock you know, we can't treat people like this," the judge said.

The prosecutors state that Francis is a flight risk, as they have a voice note purportedly sent by him to the complainant, expressing his intentions to leave the island.

"Let me hear the voice note. Sir, you planning on going away? You plan on going through the border?" the judge asked Francis before playing the voice note.

"No, Your Honour," Francis responded.

When the voice note was played, a voice, believed to be Francis, is heard saying "Me a try go cross the border."

"I am a psychic. Didn't I just ask this man if he was going through the border? This man just lied to me," Burrell expressed.

Francis, who is represented by attorney-at-law Ludlow Black, was remanded in custody until October 23, when a bail application is expected to be heard.