Prosecutions Rests in Case Against Bahamians

Rohn Knowles & Kelvin Leach

Now to the courts…the case by the Financial Intelligence Unit against two Bahamians, Kelvin Leach and Rohn Knowles, for failure to declare in excess of ten thousand Belize dollars resumed this morning and before noon, the prosecution closed its case. When the case adjourned previous to today, Senior Magistrate Sharon Fraser questioned the integrity of the FIU’s evidence because eleven Belize dollars were missing. Even though it is a small sum, it is significant to the case. Today, after arguments were presented, Police Corporal Julian Chub revealed that he had labeled erroneously envelopes containing the cash. Chub said that he went back to check the labels on the envelope and noticed that the envelope labeled with the money taken from Leach actually contained the money taken from Knowles and vice versa.  Due to this development, the monies were not accepted into evidence this morning by the Senior Magistrate and the prosecution closed its case. Senior Counsel Godfrey Smith has indicated that he will enter a no case submission and it was agreed that he will do so in writing by January twenty-second. The prosecution has a week to respond to Smith’s submissions and a ruling is expected by February fourth.  On September twelfth, 2014, Knowles and Leach were intercepted at the Phillip Goldson International Airport about to board a charter flight bound to the Cayman Island, but they were prevented from so doing for failing to declare the amount of money they had.