The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

A 36-year-old Royal Bank of Canada employee was on Friday ordered to pay $13,000 in fines by the end of the day for stealing $61,000 from his employer late last year otherwise face two years in prison.

Deputy Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain further gave Traves Mackey 30 days to fully reimburse RBC the $61,588.97 he stole from that bank between October 11 and 31, 2017.

Failure to do so would result in an additional year in prison, the deputy chief magistrate said.

Before his sentencing, Mackey pleaded guilty to 11 counts of falsification of accounts and one count each of stealing by reason of employment and laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Concerning the falsification of accounts charge, it was alleged that between October 11 and November 10, 2017, while being a business service representative at RBC on East Hill Street, Mackey made false entries into RBC’s computer system, which he was required to maintain, purporting to show that Kenja King and Ernika Enterprises were collectively entitled to payments totaling $90,680.57.

And concerning the laundering the proceeds of criminal conduct, Mackey dealt with $90,680.57, which in part represented the proceeds of criminal conduct.

Meanwhile King, 36, of Sandilands Village, was charged with purposely aiding and abetting Mackey in stealing $56,205.71 from RBC between October 11 and November 8, 2017, which he had access to by reason of his employment. She was further charged with laundering and acquiring that amount between those same dates, which the Crown maintains represents the proceeds of criminal conduct.

King pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, and her matter was adjourned to July 3 for trial. She was remanded in the interim, but has the right to apply to the Supreme Court for bail.

Mackey’s attorney Dion Smith, in making a plea in mitigation, requested that the deputy chief magistrate give his client “credit” for not wasting the court’s time and pleading guilty at the first opportunity.

Mr Smith also noted that his client has a son as well as a sick mother who he provides for. Mr Smith also said his client expressed remorse to him for his actions.

Mr Smith also noted that his client informed him that the monies can be repaid immediately, as they were still in the bank. Mr Smith indicated the funds were on various accounts at the bank which have since been frozen in view of the present matter.

Mr Smith thus requested that Dep. Chief Magistrate Swain consider exercising leniency on his client and use her “alternative discretionary powers” and not impose a custodial sentence on his client.

Police Assistant Superintendent Clifford Daxon, the prosecutor, requested the court to take into consideration the nature of the offence, and stated that if it wasn’t minded to impose a custodial sentence, to impose a compensation order and an alternative punishment should that order not be honoured.

However, noting that Mackey had committed a “serious breach of trust” by his actions, Dep. Chief Magistrate Subusola Swain convicted Mackey on all 13 counts, and fined him $1,000 on each charge accordingly.

She also gave him 30 days to repay RBC the funds he stole, or face an additional year in prison.

Mackey was also granted $7,000 bail with one surety.