Engineers accused of defrauding NWC freed

Engineers Donovan Bissasor and Jesse Gosse have been freed of allegations of defrauding millions from the National Water Commission (NWC).

They were accused of defrauding the water company of $7.3 million in relation to work done on water mains in the Kingston Gardens area in 2012.

The men were accused of submitting a false claim for security services that were not provided and for a bill that was allegedly forged.

The case dragged on in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court for more than five years before they were freed last week.

The men were freed on a no-case submission made by Queen's Counsel K D Knight and attorney-at-law Christopher Townsend, who represented the men.

During cross-examination, a prosecution witness admitted that the documents sent to the NWC were a proposal to be negotiated between the accused and the NWC.

The proposal was sent on a letterhead provided by a security company which the prosecution treated as a bill.

The witness said that the work to be done was on an emergency basis and that all the financial arrangements were not made prior to the accused embarking on the job.

The witness said because of the nature of the area, security was needed for personnel and equipment.

Following the testimony of the witness, the attorneys submitted that the prosecution did not prove the charge against the men.

The judge upheld the submissions and freed the men.

- Barbara Gayle

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