Businessman accused of $2.1 million larceny freed

Businessman and scuba instructor Garfield Dussard was on Tuesday freed by Parish Court Judge Paula Blake-Powell of a charge of larceny of $2.1 million following a no-case submission made by attorney-at-law Samoi Campbell.

Campbell submitted that there was sufficient evidence that Dussard, 65, collected the money from the complainant on the instructions of Wayne Boothe and that the complainant had confirmed that Boothe told him that he received the money from Dussard.

The allegations were that on March 5, 2020, Dussard collected the money from the complainant for the purchase of a backhoe, which the complainant never received.

A police witness, while being cross-examined by Campbell, disclosed that although Dussard collected the money, the complainant said the arrangements for the purchase of the backhoe was between himself and a man named Wayne Boothe.

Campbell highlighted the fact that the complainant told the police witness that after he gave Dussard the money, Boothe confirmed to him that he received the money from Dussard.

Campbell, in arguing that there was no case against Dussard, pointed out that after Dussard handed over the money he had no other connection with the arrangements for the sale of the backhoe.

The judge, in upholding the no-case submission in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court, directed the investigating officer to continue investigations in relation to the other person or persons implicated in the matter.

- Barbara Gayle

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