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MMC FRAUD TRIAL

Prosecutor: Seasoned bank teller opened gate for fraud

Published:Saturday | January 18, 2020 | 12:40 AM

PORUS, Manchester:

Prosecutors in the Manchester Municipal Corporation fraud trial asserted yesterday that the former bank employee accused in the matter knowingly defrauded the then council of millions of dollars by causing money to be paid under false pretence.

The Crown charged that the accused, Radcliffe McLean, caused, between January 1, 2015 and December 31, 2016, the sum of $2 million to be paid out, through cash encashments, to persons other than the payees stated on the cheques.

Lead prosecutor Channa Ormbsy said that the cheques in question were fraudulent by virtue of being endorsed by persons who were not payees and were not authorised by the payees to have anyone endorse on their behalf.

She said that McLean had to have known that the cheques were fraudulent, as the bank did not negotiate third-party cheques, and he was a “seasoned” teller with a wealth of knowledge on procedures and best practices.

The prosecutor made specific reference to a cheque that only had the signature of one signatory from the corporation and, according to a bank representative who was called to the witness stand, two signatories were needed.

Ormbsy said that McLean facilitated the encashment of multiple cheques in one day and was not acting in good faith or in accordance with the Bill of Exchange Act.

As the Crown completed their responses to the submissions made by defence, there were concessions to six counts: 16, 17, 19, 22, 24 and 31.

Prosecutors say count 16, in relation to accused Myrtle Elliott, did not have enough evidence to substantiate the claim and that count 17, also in relation to Elliott, was already incorporated in count 18.

Count 19, in relation to co-accused TashaGaye Goulbourne-Elliott, was earlier removed.

Presiding Judge Ann-Marie Grainger is expected to make a ruling on the no-case submissions when the matter continues on Thursday, January 30 in the Porus Court.

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