Former minister says there’s no evidence against him
The high profile case of Theft and Obtaining Property by Deception against former Minister of Health, Jose Coye and his driver, Kernel Flowers, came up today before Chief Magistrate Margaret Mckenzie. The charges arise from an incident in June of 2007 when it is alleged that Coye misappropriated two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars from Alfred Schakron with the intention of depriving him of his property. But because the prosecution, led by Sergeant Frank Augustine, could not yet provide the case file the matter was adjourned until July twenty-fourth. While Coye and one of his attorneys, Dickie Bradley was disappointed that the matter could not proceed as they had anticipated, they did say why they feel confident.
Jose Coye, Charged with Theft & Misappropriating Funds
“I’m innocent of those charges. I made that quite clear then. I consider them to have been preposterous, I consider them to have been outrageous, but I did say then too that I have my confidence and trust in this justice system. I really had hoped today that when I come for the preliminary inquiry, that today I would have been exonerated of those charges because I am not guilty of them.”
Marion Ali
“What was the concern you had Sir, in the court? You asked your attorney a question…”
Jose Coye
“Oh, I didn’t understand clearly that when you asked for an adjournment, I thought they would have had to give an explanation for the adjournment. You know the old saying, Justice delayed is justice denied?”
Dickie Bradley, Attorney for Jose Coye
“He was under the impression that today was the preliminary inquiry itself, so we could have heard what were the statements made against him so that we could have rebutted and have this matter settled today. As he has said, there is no evidence made against him.”
Marion Ali
“Was any explanation given why this wasn’t done?”
Dickie Bradley
“Well this is a matter which is in front of court number two and that Magistrate is on leave and the Chief Magistrate was saying that in fact the record does not show that today was a final preliminary inquiry day itself, so it was just a matter of explanation.”
Marion Ali
“You’re defending Mr. Coye. How confident are you that this case will come in your favour?”
Dickie Bradley
“One hundred percent confident. We are one hundred percent confident that you will be exonerated.”
Jose Coye
“I will be exonerated.”
Marion Ali
“And can you say why that is?”
Dickie Bradley
“As Mr. Coye has said himself, there is no evidence to substantiate the bogus charge. It is a charge which has no foundation. I mean if you really think about it, it’s totally ridiculous, that somehow somebody was paying out hundreds of thousand of dollars. There’s no receipt, there’s no witness, in fact he did not even have a conversation with Mr. Coye at any time about the matter. You just go and give money to somebody as a third party, allegedly, and then accuse a third party over the matter. Isn’t that totally ridiculous? We talking half a million dollars is handed out by a businessman over a period of time and you don’t have one single cheque, you no have a cheque stub, you no have a receipt, he didn’t do this at his office, he no have a single witness over all these months?”
Marion Ali
“What are you saying this all amounts to, that this popular businessman just made up this story altogether?”
Dickie Bradley
“I don’t know about that popular part of it.”
Marion Ali
“But is that what you’re saying? This businessman made up a story?”
Dickie Bradley
“I’m saying, as Mr. Coye has suggested, that there is something strange that after the elections—not before—after a General Elections his political opponent is responsible for the police and a businessman will, under the cover of dark, does not go to an attorney to write and say to Mr. Coye or to anybody, I paid ex amount of money for services I did not get, kindly return it. Nothing, and sudden one the police will come and arrest somebody on the basis of … and where is the evidence, that’s what we’re saying and this is the reason why in fact no file is here today. There’s no evidence man.”
In a statement to the police, Schakron alleged that Flowers approached him and asked if he was interested in buying land at the Barracks. The statement claims that Coye then called and asked him to send the plans for a craft centre he intended to build on the property, along with two hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. The businessman claims Flowers picked up the monies on Coye’s behalf but on several subsequent occasions returned to him to get more money, allegedly unknown to Coye. These additional payments totaled three hundred thousand dollars between June and December of 2007. Schakron claims that on December tenth he went to the Lands Department to pay and discovered that the eighteen thousand, nine hundred and seventeen dollars he handed over was not for stamp duty, but the actual cost of the land being sold by government. When the controversy over the land became public and the new government threatened to reverse the transaction, Schakron says Flowers returned three hundred thousand dollars to him. But now the developer is accusing Coye of not giving back the remaining two hundred seventy-five thousand dollars. Alfred Schakron, a forty-seven year old Lebanese born businessman, owns a three-story mansion in Buttonwood Bay, and the popular J.E.C. Pawnshop.
