The Tribune

By NICO SCAVELLA

Tribune Staff Reporter

nscavella@tribunemedia.net

FORMER College of the Bahamas employee Chimeka Gibbs' trial over allegations she stole more than $500,000 from the college was adjourned by a week due to the lawyer for the accused not being in possession of the transcripts of a previous sitting.

Justice Cheryl Grant-Thompson adjourned the matter to next Monday after Roger Gomez Jr informed her that he was still not in possession of the transcripts for the trial's December 18, 2017 sitting, which he would need in order to draft his closing address to the jury.

Justice Grant-Thompson also noted that she was not in possession of the transcripts for that day.

In addressing the jury on the matter, Justice Grant-Thompson said she would give Mr Gomez the rest of the week to "properly assimilate" the information contained in those transcripts once he receives them, while also stressing to the jury how extensive reviewing all of the trial information could be.

Thus, she asked the nine member jury to prepare for a "long day" on Monday, which she suggested would consist of closing addresses from both the Crown and Gibbs' lawyer, as well as her summing up of the trial, and the jury's subsequent deliberation on a verdict.

Gibbs is charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars 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.