Co-workers held fund-raising activities to replace monies

Following the discovery that $21,925 could not be accounted for from the Mediation Programme at the High Court, co-workers of former High Court registrar Tamara Gibson-Marks held fund-raising activities to replace the missing funds.{{more}}

This was disclosed at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday by Gibson-Marks’ lawyer, Alberton Richelieu.

“The money in the fund had its own peculiar history, where proper accounting was not kept by the defendant (Gibson-Marks). The facts mentioned that there was a series of unreported thefts …,” he said.

“In fact, fellow co-workers, realizing the dilemma, set out to hold fund-raising activities to have those monies replaced. What this in effect shows, is that the figure that should have been appropriated, should have been a lesser sum than is reflected in the charge sheet… In any event, the defendant recognizes her culpability in appropriating the balance and realizing that she was in fact responsible for proper accounting,” Richelieu submitted.

Gibson Marks was charged with theft of $21, 925 from the Mediation Fund and abuse of office. Magistrate Carla James fined her $4,500, to be paid in one month, for this offence. Defaulting on this will earn her three months in prison.