into laughter shortly after a lawyer accused an unnamed person watching the proceedings of trying to bribe the woman who brought the complaint against him.

The case against the 40-year old churchman was set to continue yesterday before Acting Magistrate Michael Smith who adjourned proceedings on August 14 so the defence could bring in a witness from overseas.

Yesterday the court was asked for a further delay after defence lawyer Marc Telemaque called in sick.

Pointing out the trial had been delayed specifically to allow time for the witness to come from abroad, Mr. Smith asked if the overseas witness was present.

An associate of Mr. Telemaque's told the court there was no witness in court.

The complainant's lawyer, Saul Froomkin, said he had only heard of Mr.

Telemaque's illness that morning.

"If there is no witness here today, I can only conclude that either the defence never had any intention of calling him, or that the witness was told some days ago there would be no court today.'' Mr. Froomkin added: "I have reason to believe, and I have evidence to support it, that certain persons in court today have offered the complainant large sums of money to drop her prosecution.'' The woman's lawyer stressed those attempting to bribe the witness did not include the accused, but said any delay could potentially affect the outcome of the case.

"The court is aware the complainant is already under severe pressure, any additional pressure might prejudice the outcome of the case -- whatever that outcome is.'' Mr. Froomkin asked the trial be resumed today. Mr. Smith said it could not as his appointment as Acting Magistrate will have lapsed.

Mr. Smith rose to consult with court staff about possible dates for resumption.

As the Magistrate left the court, the accused, his wife, and others huddled on the benches around the dock, burst into laughter.

One woman, sitting on the same bench as the pastor's wife, raised her hand in an apparent gesture of victory.

Mr. Smith returned to court, ordering the proceedings to resume on October first, "witness or no witness.'' Earlier this month, the court heard testimony from the complainant, a woman receiving marriage counselling from the minister as well as financial assistance from his church in the form of grocery vouchers.

For legal reasons neither the accused nor the complainant can be named. The charges against the pastor stem from an alleged incident at the woman's home on September 20 last year.

The woman claims her minister invited himself to her Pembroke apartment, saying he would bring her grocery vouchers.

The complainant said that, during the course of the visit the churchman exposed himself to her and touched her breasts.

She also said the minister gave her an airline ticket to Philadelphia. The woman said she agreed to go with the pastor to Philadelphia -- her acceptance of the ticket being a ruse by which she could tape their conversation while driving to the airport in his car, in the hope he would incriminate himself.

Taking the stand in his own defence, the minister said he had, "no idea,'' why his parishioner had accused him of either exposing himself or grabbing her breasts.

He said no such thing took place, although he had been to her home in order to deliver the vouchers and airline ticket.

The minister claimed he was taking the woman abroad, at his own expense, so she could have a job interview with a church colleague.

When played a tape, which was said to be a recording of a sexual conversation between himself and the woman he is accused of assaulting, the minister conceded the male voice on the tape, "could possibly be mine.'' In the course of the trial, the pastor's lawyer Marc Telemaque had questioned the credibility of the complainant, pointing out her prior convictions for fraud.

Saul Froomkin, in cross examining the pastor, established that he too had six prior convictions for cheque fraud, offences which took place in South Carolina in 1985 and 1986, while he was attending university abroad.

According to the woman, at the time of the alleged assault, she asked her pastor if he knew he could get into trouble, he is reported by the complainant to have replied: "I'm a well respected minister... because you are a nobody, nobody will believe you.''