Parris case put on pause

by BARRY ALLEYNE

barryalleyne@nationnews.com

THE THEFT CASE against former insurance executive Leroy Parris will not be going to trial just yet.

That’s because a High Court judge has granted him injunctive relief, preventing the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) from continuing the matter against him until an application for a judicial review is heard.

Parris, 77, of Dayrells Heights, St Michael, is accused of stealing $3.33 million belonging to CLICO International Life Insurance Ltd between December 1, 2008, and April 27, 2009.

He is further charged with conspiring with other people to defraud CLICO International Life Insurance Ltd of that amount by inducing the company to pay out the money to the law firm Thompson and Associates.

He is also charged that between April 1, 2009, and March 31, 2010, he conspired with others to cheat the Crown and the Commissioner of Inland Revenue of public revenue by failing to submit tax returns to the Commissioner or account to the said Commissioner for taxes on his income for the year ending March 31, 2010.

Fresh submissions

The preliminary and interlocutory injunction was granted on Monday when the matter was heard by Justice Michelle Weekes, who will now hear fresh submissions on June 5 as to why the case should proceed or not.

This was after Parris’ attorney, Hal Gollop KC, applied for a judicial review of Magistrate Manilla Renee’s decision on March 23 that Parris be tried by a judge and jury.

“We asked the court for several remedies, among which is that the decision of the magistrate to send forward the case to be heard at the Assizes be quashed,” Gollop told the MIDWEEK NATION

yesterday. He noted that as part of the application for judicial review, the affidavit set out all documentary evidence to support the fact that the money claimed to have been stolen, belonged to Parris.

“We are relying on the fact that there is no complainant in this matter,” the King’s Counsel said. “There is no entity, no person, no company which has complained that money has been stolen from him, it, them or anybody. In the process, we sought and obtained an injunction from Justice Weekes.”

Gollop said the third respondent in the case, the DPP, is now restrained from proffering a bill of indictment under the order by Magistrate Renee committing Parris to stand trial, pending the application for judicial review.

All documents pertaining to Gollop’s application are now to be filed before June 5 when attorneys will make submissions to Justice Weekes.

Denied theft

Parris had denied the theft of $3.3 million when he appeared in the District ‘A’ Magistrates’ Court on March 23.

At that time, Gollop argued that the money the State has accused Parris of stealing was part of a special bonus package due to the former executive chairman of CLICO, and could not have been stolen since it was his own money.

He had also produced documents showing that a letter from the Registrar of the Supreme Court indicating that Justice William Chandler, who is responsible for the judicial management of the now-collapsed CLICO in Barbados, had made it clear that no complaint about money being stolen was made by the board of CLICO Financial Ltd.

Gollop said what was even more ironic was that the $3.3 million his client is accused of stealing, is only part payment of monies owed to the accused, as it formed part of a total $10 million gratuity and bonus payment. “He is still owed $6.5 million,” counsel added.

However, Magistrate Renee ruled that a prima facie case had been established and that Parris should go on trial.

“I maintain my innocence on all the charges,” Parris told the court after being committed to stand trial.

( centre), with his daughter Kayliegh (left) and wife Faye, at his last court appearance on March 23. (FP)