Customs broker changes plea, says he’s not guilty of stealing from employer

A former customs broker who had pleaded guilty to stealing over $60,000 from C K Greaves & Co Ltd. this week changed his plea to not guilty after securing the services of a lawyer.

Keswert Slater, 39 years old of Clare Valley, was supposed to be sentenced at the Kingstown Magistrate’s Court this Wednesday, May 27 for stealing the money from the business.

However, after attorney Israel Bruce indicated his client’s change of mind, the charges were put to Slater once again, that he had, between May 4 and December 31, 2019, in Kingstown, stolen EC$44,664.90, the property of CK Greaves and Co Ltd; and that he had, between January 2 and April 7, 2020, stolen EC$18,710.22 also from his former employer.

Prosecutor Corlene Samuel told Senior Magistrate Rickie Burnett that the prosecution had no objection to bail for the defendant but asked that there be sufficiency of surety, reporting conditions, a no contact order with the complainant, and stop notices in place.

However, Samuel noted that the prosecution is ready to proceed to trial.

The magistrate asked how soon disclosure could take place, and the prosecutor noted that this could be done some time this week.

A June 8 date was suggested.

However, the lawyer asked for a lengthier adjournment as there was a possibility that he would be engaged with another matter in a foreign court at this time.

Therefore, Slater will return on June 22. In the interim, and while the matter goes through a trial process, the defendant has been granted bail in the sum of $60,000.

He will be required to report to the Questelles police station every Monday, and was ordered to have no contact with the complainant.

Previously Slater was on remand in custody awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty at the magistrate’s court on May 13. However, he gained his conditional freedom on Wednesday after his surety was accepted.