The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A Ministry of Finance employee was arraigned in a Magistrate's Court on Friday for allegedly defrauding the ministry of over half a million dollars within a five month period.

James Anwar Johnson, 27, of St Andrews Beach Estates, stood before Chief Magistrate Joyann Ferguson-Pratt facing 11 counts of falsification of accounts for his alleged actions between December 2016 and April 2017.

It is alleged that Johnson, being an accounts clerk at the Ministry of Finance, did falsify the payment records of VMMS Business Service from December 15, 2016 to April 5, 2017, purporting to show that VMMS Business Service was entitled to receive payments totaling $530,377.67.

Johnson was also charged with 10 counts of stealing by reason of employment. He is accused of being concerned with others and stealing a total of $445,996.42 in cash from the ministry between December 21, 2016 and March 31, 2017, which he had access to by virtue of his employment.

Johnson also faced one count of attempted stealing by reason of employment for allegedly attempting to steal $41,115 from the ministry on April 5, 2017.

Johnson pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

Given the nature of the charges, Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt could not consider bail and adjourned the matter to November 17 at 11am. Johnson was remanded to the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services until that time.

However, Johnson's attorney, Devard Francis, told the court that he intended to apply to the Supreme Court for bail for his client.

Before concluding Johnson's arraignment, however, the chief magistrate expressed her observation that Johnson, whom she said is a fairly "heavy set man", seemed to be "unduly uncomfortable" with his hands being cuffed behind his back.

A senior officer responded by saying that two pairs of handcuffs were used to alleviate any discomfort Johnson might have experienced.

Nonetheless, the chief magistrate requested the senior officer to have Johnson handcuffed with his hands in front, while also expressing her desire to not interfere with the role the Royal Bahamas Police Force play in providing security throughout the complex and safeguarding persons in custody.

The senior officer acceded to her request.

Mr Francis then rose to express his displeasure that his client had to be paraded through the front doors of the court complex while leaving, particularly after having gone through the same process when he was initially escorted by officers for his arraignment.

Mr Francis stressed that something has to be "fundamentally wrong" with that process, and further suggested it was even more concerning to him considering how some individuals in custody are brought into the court room through a side door in the court room itself as opposed to through the court's main entrance.

However, the chief magistrate told Mr Francis that it is not her place to address matters of security, which would normally fall under the purview of the RBPF.

Chief Magistrate Ferguson-Pratt subsequently allowed Johnson's family to briefly speak with him before he was escorted out of the court room by officers.

Johnson was then escorted through the main doors of the court complex and down the building's front steps, despite his attorney's earlier protest.