2-Year old murder: Trial postponed to 2014

Although Robert Mackford Bush was murdered in a shooting whilst sitting in a car in the Birch Tree area of West Bay in September 2011, Brian Borden (27) accused of the killing, will not face trial until March 2014.

Robert Bush was one of five men gunned down in a spate of shootings over a period of nine days, the worst in Cayman’s history.

CAACI’s approval of helipad unlawful

The Civil Aviation Authority of the Cayman Islands (CAACI) failed to comply with international regulations when it approved the use of a helipad on North Church Street. This was the ruling by Cayman’s Chief Justice, Anthony Smellie, last week.

Axis International Ltd challenged the decision to grant the permit.  Axis owns a commercial building close to the helipad.

The helipad is used and owned by Cayman Islands Helicopters Ltd (CIHL). They have been using the helipad since November, 2011 and also use the small building in front of the pad adjacent to North Church Street.

In a 149 page ruling the Chief Justice said the certification of the heliport is not in compliance with the ANOTO and the standards of the OTARs’, and the “heliport may not be considered to be safe for the purposes of the on-going operation of the helicopter in the manner that it is being operated.”

“It is apparent from the evidence that the CAACI allowed itself to become unduly influenced in the process of certification by its willingness to accommodate the commercial objectives of CHIL. Indeed, it may have felt embarrassed and obliged to do so on account of its own early and premature expression of satisfaction as to the suitability of the Heliport site,” he said.

In response, the CAACI said it was disappointed with the ruling that found the grant of the certificate for the helipad unreasonable on grounds of safety and nuisance.

However, Chief Justice Smellie, in his decision, did not directly overturn the certification and the CAACI said it accepted that the decision by government and public authorities could be challenged in the courts. There is no word the CAACI are going to appeal. They added they remain committed to safety.

Man acquitted of attempted murder faces sentencing for lesser charges

Leighton Rankine Jr (35), who was acquitted last week of attempted murder in a shooting outside Club 7 nightclub, on the West Bay Road last year, was found guilty of 2 counts of wounding with intent, assault, possession of an unlicensed firearm and unlawfully discharging the firearm.

Justice Marva Macdonald-Bishop said in a judge alone trial there wasn’t substantial proof that Rankine intended to kill anyone.

Rankine was charged with trying to kill two men in the car park of Club 7 in February last year after a major altercation, when he opened fire with a handgun. Police officers who were called to the scene said in the trial Rankine had the weapon in his hand when they arrived and one man had been shot.

The two men, Mitchell Wright and Joylon Fredericks, were both treated at the hospital in George Town that night, one for a gunshot wound and the other for wounds sustained in the fight, which happened in the car park of the nightclub.

Rankine’s defence attorney requested time from Judge Macdonald-Bishop to get more information about his character before deciding a sentence. She acquiesced and moved the sentencing to August.

Jewelry smash and grab robber sentenced

Simon Julio Newball (36), who was found guilty of theft and arson earlier this week, received a prison sentence of 8 years.

Newball performed a smash and grab robbery at Magnum Jewelers on Cardinal Avenue with two other masked men in December 2011 when $300,000 of jewelry was stolen. The three men threatened staff and smashed cabinets before making off with the jewelry.

Newball also set fire to the getaway car and received two years for arson to run concurrently with the 8 year sentence for theft.

WestStar’s reply to HBO’s charge of stealing their signals

WestStar TV, referring to HBO Latin America statement and interview with iNews Cayman last week (see iNews Cayman story June 11 2013 “Stop stealing our signals says HBO” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/06/stop-stealing-our-signals-says-hbo/) said on CITN’s News27, “it [WestStar TV] does not carry out contract negotiations in the press and is surprised by HBO Latin America’s decision to do so.”

Officials further confirmed that they “are in negotiations with HBO Latin America, with the view to give the customers the programming they want that is readily available through local dish network distributors”.

Consolidation of charges against ex-premier shows theft charge dropped

Ex Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush has had the former charge of theft dropped in a new indictment filed in the local courts.

Bush, Leader of the Opposition, still faces eleven charges of taking cash or using his government credit card in casinos in Las Vegas, Florida and the Bahamas.

Bush is accused of using his Royal Bank of Canada government card:

In the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida, between the 10-15 July 2009, when he took $5,236 and incurred charges of $122.72.

More than $3,000 at the same hotel casino chain in Tampa in August 2009.

In September at the Seminole in Hollywood, Florida, he took over $1,500

$2,016 was also taken from the Seminole in Hollywood, Florida in October 2009.

Over $1,000 and $2,000 spent on two separate occasions again at the Seminole in Hollywood, Florida in November.

Bush’s charges in 2010 change from misconduct to breach of trust as a result of the implementation of the anti-corruption law.

In January 2010 Bush at the Seminole Hollywood, Florida is alleged to have used the card for amounts of $3,012 and $1,004 on separate occasions.

In February Bush allegedly spent almost $12,900 at the Mirage Hotel and Casino, the Bellagio Hotel and the Venetian Casino all in Las Vegas.

In March, transactions totalling more than $17,000 were allegedly recorded at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas, as well as the Seminole in Hollywood, Florida.

The final alleged offence in the indictment is another unlawful transaction at the Seminole Hollywood, Florida of more than $1,000, also in March.

Bush, in denying all the charges against him has said he has paid all the money back. He said cash withdrawals were for legitimate purposes as well as for his own security and medical assistance for his wife.

Bush said the theft charges were unfair, mischievous and had been brought with ulterior motives. He has claimed almost everyone who had served government had the same issues with government credit cards including the current Premier Alden McLaughlin.