More delays in fraud trial
The Supreme Court trial of a couple accused of defrauding Government of more than $553,000 has been delayed due to illness and legal submissions.The last time the jury heard any evidence in the case of Kyril Burrows, a former Buildings Manager at the Ministry of Works and Engineering, and his wife Delcina Bean Burrows was on Friday, February 24.No more is expected until Tuesday March 6.On Monday, the trial was adjourned after Puisne Judge Charles-Etta Simmons told jurors Mrs Bean-Burrows was not feeling well.She said the defendant had a doctor’s certificate for three days, noting there was nothing that could be done other than to delay the trial.When proceedings resumed yesterday she told the jury: “Because of certain submissions that have been made to me I am going to adjourn this case until Tuesday.”She did not tell them why, but said the delay may eventually help to shorten the trial, which is why she agreed to it.The jury has heard the Crown plan to call in the region of 76 witnesses in the case, which got underway on February 22 and was scheduled to last six to ten weeks.So far, only one witness has taken the stand; former Permanent Secretary of Works and Engineering Robert Horton.Mr Burrows is alleged by prosecutors to have illegally used Government funds to renovate the house he and his wife shared in Turkey Hill, St George’s.He is further accused of directing Government funds to his wife’s company Ren Tech under the false premise it would carry out construction work at schools in the aftermath of Hurricane Florence.Mr Burrows also faces allegations that he spent Government cash on televisions later discovered in the couple’s home.He and his wife deny 35 charges encompassing allegations of cheating, obtaining money transfers by deception, obtaining property by deception, money laundering and false accounting.