$160m Seprod fraud case set for mention on September 25

ONE OF the 25 Seprod Group of Companies employees implicated in an approximately $160-million fraud at the company yesterday complained through his lawyer that he was denied station bail by the police because he refused to hand over his cellular phone.

Jason Grant is the lone accused remaining in custody as his co-accused were all offered $400,000 station bail, in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.

However, his attorney-at-law, CJ Mitchell, in requesting a date for a bail application, told Parish Judge Leighton Morris that he was instructed by his client that the investigating officer told him that he was going to punish him for not complying with the police’s request to hand over his phone.

The judge, in responding, told the clerk of court to prepare to outline the allegations on May 31, the date for the bail application, and to also present to the court the investigating officer’s reason why Grant’s status is different from his co-accused.

The May 31 date was also fixed for the court to vary the other accused bail for conditions to be attached.

BAIL EXTENDED

All the accused who were present in court yesterday when the matter was first mentioned, except Grant, had their bail extended.

The accused are facing charges including conspiracy to defraud, conspiring to engage in a transaction involving criminal property, embezzlement and access with intent to commit or facilitate the commission of an offence.

The court, in the meantime, was informed that the case file was incomplete. A statement and document from the Communication Forensic Cybercrimes Department of the Jamaica Constabulary Force are outstanding.

The judge however ordered that disclosure is to be made to the defence once the file is incomplete.

A September 25 date was also scheduled for the matter to be mentioned.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitz Bailey, during a press conference last month, reported that the alleged fraud was masterminded by two information technology employees who manipulated the company’s systems to facilitate unauthorised payments to at least 23 other employees.

The multimillion-dollar scheme is believed to have started in October 2021, days after the company’s Newport West warehouse and offices were gutted by fire and resulted in losses estimated at more than $1 billion.

tanesha.mundle@gleanerjm.com

THE ACCUSED

Rohan Griffiths

Alton Sutherland

Mishan Richards

Phillip Biggs

Carlinton Reid

Oral Fraser

Dwight Campbell

Leighton Hibbert

Oshane Grant

Kirk Ricketts

Khourie Tennant

Juvane Johnson

Dwight Haines

Andre Green

Adrian Nelson

Neville Whittaker

Kimani Campbell

Kirk Grant

St Patrick Watkis

Sean Senior

Sean Watt

Ryan McLean

Maynard Anderson

Ramone Bailey

Jason Grant