The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella @tribunemedia.net

FORMER College of the Bahamas employee Chimeka Gibbs yesterday opted to remain silent over allegations she stole over $500,000 from the college over a seven year period. 

Gibbs was given the option to remain silent subsequent to the Crown’s closure of its case against her, or take the witness stand and give evidence and summon witnesses to testify on her behalf if need be. 

She chose the former however, after which her attorney indicated that he would only be making a closing address to the nine member jury. 

The matter was subsequently adjourned to next week Monday by Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson, due to a member of the jury informing the Court of their need to travel.

Justice Grant-Thompson said that particular juror informed the bailiff of their plans to travel on Thursday, and that she was minded to oblige that juror as she nor the jury anticipated the trial lasting this long. 

Justice Grant-Thompson also said as the transcripts for the trial are “voluminous”, she and counsel from both sides will use the adjournment to peruse them so as to ready themselves to conclude the trial.

She thus said counsel for both sides will deliver their closing addresses on Monday, followed by her summing up the evidence to the nine member jury on Tuesday.

Gibbs is charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from between March 2008 and October 2015 while employed at COB.

She is facing eight counts of stealing by reason of employment and 16 counts of falsification of accounts.

It is alleged Gibbs stole over $500,000 from COB by reason of her employment at the institution. It is also alleged she falsified numerous COB direct deposit files, the result of which purported to show she was entitled to over $200,000 in salary payments.

According to court documents, Gibbs served as both a senior clerk and a human resources assistant at the college. She was arraigned in June 2016. COB transitioned into a university later that year.

Roger Gomez Jr represents Gibbs, while Al-Leecia Delancey and Antania Rolle-Taylor are the other attorneys on record, representing the Crown.