Minister of Health Nelson Bascome saw his theft trial delayed once again during a hearing at Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Bascome denies stealing $56,000 entrusted to him by the Bank of Bermuda for business purposes between September, 2003 and February, 2004 and $20,000 from the Natural Business Company, of which he was a director, in March, 2004.

The case has been postponed on numerous previous occasions. During an administrative hearing yesterday, Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner there were problems with the availability of witnesses for the scheduled trial date of April 2.

She also requested a separate date be set, when she will apply for the case to be heard in what she described as "another court" when it comes to trial.

Mr. Warner complained about delays since the matter first came before the court last June, chiding: "This case is going on and on. It's become more and more long in the tooth."

Defence lawyer Victoria Pearman said: "My client is anxious to have this case disposed of."

Mr. Warner set a new trial date of April 23, and will hear Ms Tyndale's application for the case to go before another court prior to that, on April 2.

Last October, Mr. Warner threw out a separate charge of corruption that Bascome faced. He ruled there was insufficient evidence for the MP to stand trial over allegations he corruptly obtained a business opportunity during his period as Health and Family Services Minister in the late 1990s.