Joey will have to wait

Joey Ebanks, the former head of the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA) will have to wait until 9 June 2014 to face a trial. This was the earliest date available in Grand Court for a two week trial.

Ebanks faces 17 charges:

2 counts of obtaining a money transfer by deception, 9 counts of obtaining property by deception, 3 counts of making documents without authority, 2 counts of forgery and 1 count of transferring criminal property.

It is alleged Ebanks:

a)    falsely claimed travel expenses totalling approx. $7,000 for a round trip to Canada in November 2012

b)   at Cayman Mac Store, dishonestly obtained iPhones and iPads worth approx. $70,000 by falsely representing he was authorised to do so by the ERA.

Ebanks is next due in court in October for a hearing to discuss all the elements in preparation for his trial.

He has pleaded not guilty to all the charges against him and remains out on bail.

Woman on trial for stabbing man claims self-defence

Bianca Vega (21) from West Bay has pleaded self-defence in her trial on Tuesday (2) accused of wounding with intent.

Vegas admits she stabbed a man twice in the chest but said he had tried to attack her with a chair. She had simply reacted to his threats by stabbing him.

She told the court that she had gone to a friend’s house at around midnight on 18th December 2012 and whilst her friend had gone to buy some food she went outside into the yard where some men were drinking, listening to music and playing dominoes.

The victim, who she claims was shouting profanities inside the house came out into the yard and approached her aggressively and insultingly. He accused her of discussing his sexuality with others and threatened to bust her face with a chair.

She told him to get out of her face but did not leave as she was waiting for her friend to return with the food. It was then the defendant swung the chair and faked a striking motion. It was then she stabbed him twice in the chest with a 3inch bladed knife. She threw the knife into the sea and handed herself over to the police.

The prosecution disputes Vegas’ account and suggested to her that there was no chair involved, it was not self-defence and she had stabbed the victim with intent in the chest where it would do the most damage because she had lost her temper.

The case continues before a judge alone trial.

Levitt will plead guilty to theft from Solomon Harris

Michael Levitt, an accountant and a former president of Rotary Sunrise, has indicated he will plead guilty to theft charges against him.

Levitt has been charged with two counts of theft amounting to approx. US$800,000 that occurred whilst he was employed by local law firm, Solomon Harris.

Appearing in court last Friday (5) with his attorney, Ben Toner, the guilty plea was indicated but Toner said he was awaiting further documents on some of the counts.

Levitt is due back in court on July 26^th when pleas will be entered and sentencing.

Mac costs us more in fees that produced zero

A Freedom of Information Request from CNS has revealed that McKeeva Bush in his final months of premiership still tried to refinance the public debt.

CNS says, “Bush selected the assistance of a local finance expert to seek possible refinancing deals outside of the tendering process and signed at least one engagement letter without the knowledge of the financial secretary or approval from the UK. None of the potential deals resulted in a re-financing package but they cost the public purse at least $300,000 in fees.”

Read whole story at: http://www.caymannewsservice.com/politics/2013/07/05/mac-tried-more-loan-deals