Prosecutor Elgin Burgin, on Friday, expressed some apprehension as the trail for theft, of former head of the Buccament Wise and Prudent Friendly Society, Morris Prescott, was adjourned for a fourth time.
Prescott is charged that he stole EC$84,000 of burial society’s money and his trial is being adjourned for a fourth time since he was arraigned last December.
The adjournment on Friday was due to another trial taking at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court.
And even as he applied for the adjournment, Richards told the court that the witnesses are getting fed up.
“I would like the trial soonest,” he told Magistrate Bertie Pompey.
“I see Mr. [Arthur] Williams is smiling,” Richards further said of the defence counsel.
“This is not a matter I would like to get dismissed because the witnesses are fed up,” the prosecutor further told the court.
The matter was on June 21 adjourned to last Friday.
On June 21, Richards told the court that the Crown was not ready to proceed.
Richards said that while most of the witnesses in the matter were present, the investigating officer was out of state.
The prosecutor said that he was mindful not to have the matter begin then have to be adjourned.
Williams also did not object to the adjournment then.
And last Friday, when it became clear that another trial would go on for quite some time, Williams told the court that he would not object to another adjournment.
“My client is on bail,” he told the court.
When he first appeared before Pompey on Dec. 30, 2016, Prescott, a 57-year-old justice of the peace and teacher, pleaded not guilty to 12 counts of theft, allegedly committed between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, 2016.
Williams had told the court then that the matter might never go to trial, saying that he had been present when investigator conducted the electronic interview with Prescott.
He had said that during the interview, Prescott had told investigators that as president of the friendly society, he accepts responsibility for the funds and would ensure that they are repaid.
On Dec. 24, 2016, Prescott told members of the friendly society at a meeting in Vermont that he had misappropriated EC$83,000 of the society’s funds.
Prescott has been granted EC$90,000 bail with one surety.
He was also ordered to report to the Vermont Police Station on Mondays and Fridays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
He was also ordered to surrender all travel documents, including his driver’s license and national identity card and was told that he must not leave the country without the permission of the court. The court also ordered that stop orders be placed at all ports of entry and exit.
This guy may walk free.